


Saving Captain Holland

by Daisy_May



Category: Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis
Genre: AU, Adventure & Romance, Drama, Fix-It, M/M, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-12 20:40:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 78,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19236697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisy_May/pseuds/Daisy_May
Summary: When Major Sheppard saved Lyle Holland from certain death in Afghanistan, he had no idea of the impact it would have on his life. Barely twenty-four hours after the rescue, he was promoted and on a spaceship. He was promoted again after almost losing his life in the Battle of Antarctica, but where Goa’uld are concerned, sometimes friends turn out to be enemies.





	Saving Captain Holland

**Author's Note:**

> My casting of Patrick Sheppard comes directly from Keira Marcos, with grateful thanks: in my head Viggo Mortensen is Patrick Sheppard. I also borrowed the idea of an acronym from enigmaticblue’s story ‘If All Else Fails’ although I did make up my own instead of using hers. The original idea belongs to her, though. This is an AU and while I’ve used canon in some places, in others I’ve ignored it entirely.  
> Beta & pom-pom waver: Ed Ronhia  
> Advice and support: Popkin16  
> Artist: PickingupEllen

 

 

* * *

 

##  **Chapter One**

‘Aw, crap!’ John muttered to himself, pulling the cyclic towards him and manoeuvring his Apache away from the machine gun fire from the figures in the valley of one of the many sand-dunes in the area.  He hoped Holland had managed to get himself far enough away from any of the Taliban roaming around to allow John to land and take off again without them shooting up his helo too severely.  He was going to be in enough trouble already coming out here without taking a damaged bird back to base.

Checking the dunes ahead were clear – although that didn’t necessarily translate to _safe_ – he eased the cyclic forward again and continued to search for a crashed Apache, likely still burning since less than an hour had passed since the call for extraction had come into the Forward Ops Base to which they were both attached.  He finally spotted a thin plume of smoke rising from behind yet another dune and, cursing to himself again, he took the Apache down into the narrow valley between two massive sand mountains and zeroed in on the burning Apache and a figure lying in the slight shade offered by an old broken down Russian helicopter.

John landed as close to the wreck as he dared, leapt out and ran to his friend who managed to pull himself into a seated position, his leg bleeding badly and his face battered.

‘Where’s your co-pilot?’ John demanded, examining Holland’s leg injury and pulling a field bandage from one of the pockets in his flight suit.

Holland lifted a hand and pointed to the smoking helicopter.  ‘He was dead before I even got her down.  _Bastards_.’

John gave his friend a quick check over, considered the risk of applying a tourniquet to his leg and dismissed it.  He suspected Holland was concussed at the very least, but there was little he could do about that, so he muttered ‘brace yourself’, pulled Holland upright against himself and half carried, half dragged him to his own Apache.  If _he_ could spot the smoke from the burning helo, there was little doubt it would lead others to this position, so he had no time to waste in getting them both out of there.

He managed to get Holland into the second, lower pilot seat and safely strapped in with only a few groans from the patient and scrambled into his own seat.  Within seconds they were in the air, a cloud of sand rising beneath them from the power of the rotors as John carefully lifted his Apache out of what amounted to a gully – except for the lack of water in this part of the world.

Just as they rose over the top of the dunes, John spotted yet another group of Afghans appear over the edge of the next dune along, and although the throbbing whirr of the rotor blades drowned out their shouts, their actions were unmistakable.  A nifty manoeuvre by John kept the helo away from the machine gun fire, and he banked when he caught a glimpse of a surface to air missile launcher being lifted hurriedly from the back of one of the jeeps.  He pulled out of range as fast as he could make her go, all the while cursing the people in the US Government who thought it a good idea to sell arms to people who would then use them against their own people.

 _If they were the ones being shot at they might exercise a little more discretion_.

Thankfully, it was probably going to take the Taliban longer to set up the SAM than it would John to get to a safe altitude, but he fired a couple of flares to divert any missiles they might launch at him just in case he was mistaken, and deliberately flew in anything but a straight line to further confuse them.  He fired four of his own Hydra 70 rockets at them, giving a grim smile of satisfaction when he hit four of the five jeeps, then pulled back on the cyclic even more as the last vehicle exploded with far more power than it should have if they were carrying normal SAMs.

‘ _I guess the rumours about them having Stingers is true_ ,’ Holland’s voice said into John’s ear, startling him as he hadn’t taken the time to fit the helmet system containing the radio onto his friend.

‘And I guess you’re not as badly hurt as I thought you were if you managed to get the helmet on,’ John snarked back.  ‘Feel free to take over weapons if we see any more. I’m thinking keeping us both alive would be a good thing.’

‘ _And where is your co-pilot?  No, don’t tell me, you came out here on your own, against orders, didn’t you_?’

‘Not _against_ orders as such,’ John hedged.  ‘More that I…ah…might have left before anyone could tell me not to.’

‘ _You’re a stupid son of a bitch, but I’ll make sure I say something nice about you at your court-martial_.’

John grinned to himself.  ‘Now, there’s the Holland I know.  Always so positive.’

 _‘Asshole.  What weapons do you still have on this thing in case we come across any more bogies_?’

‘Pretty much everything.  She was fully equipped after my last mission, except for fuel.’

 _‘Except for…Jesus H Christ, Sheppard!  How much fuel have we got_?’

‘Enough, so stop worrying, _Mom_.  I’ll get you back safely and—’

John broke off as he heard the sound of jet engines and suddenly saw an F-16 Falcon fly past him.  He clicked on his radio to alter the frequency.  ‘Arclight, this is Roundhouse Zero Six.  I am returning to FOB Fenty with the pilot of Zero Eight who is badly wounded.’

‘This is Arclight Zero Three.  Roger that, Zero Six.  Did you take out those bogies back there?’

‘Affirmative, Arclight Zero Three.  Is that a problem?’

The sound of laughter came over the radio system.  ‘Did you know the Knave was travelling in that group or was it a lucky hit?’

John frowned to himself and forgot all about proper radio etiquette.  ‘Huh?’

‘We’ll escort you back to base, Roundhouse Zero Six.  I just wish I could see the look on the old man’s face when he hears this story.  Arclight Zero Three, over and out.’

Much to his bemusement, John saw the F-16 Falcon reappear on his left, the pilot raising his hand in greeting as he shot past, with his fellow pilot passing John on his right.  The two F-16s circled John, offering protection as he flew the eighty or so miles back to his base close to Kabul and as John drew closer to his home base, he radioed to let them know Lyle was on board with a severely injured leg and probable concussion.  The F-16s saw him right to his FOB, and each gave a barrel roll as they banked away once he began to make his approach, making John mutter about show-offs, as if he hadn’t performed the exact same manoeuvre in an F-16 himself.

He swallowed nervously when he saw a few people waiting by the helipad for his bird but managed to execute a perfect landing despite his apprehension when he recognised his Commanding Officer, Colonel Leverham, leaning against a jeep waiting for him with a grim look on his face.  One of the base ambulances sped right up to the helicopter as the rotor blades slowed and then finally stopped, and within minutes Holland was loaded up and whisked away.  John took his time making his post-flight shut down and checks, but as the people forming a welcoming – or perhaps an _un_ welcoming – committee for him didn’t appear to be in any hurry to leave, he finally grimaced and removed his helmet before jumping down and making his way to face his CO, sparing a look for the empty berth just down from his own where Roundhouse Zero Eight was usually parked.

*******

Several hours later John was on a military flight back to the US, and _not_ in chains or even handcuffs.  He still didn’t quite believe that bit.  Holland was going to be fine although he had a couple of months of physiotherapy to work through, and that too was more than John hoped for when he first heard Holland’s SOS.  He’d accompanied his friend on the medevac as far as Ramstein Air Base where Holland was transferred to the military hospital in Landstuhl while John changed planes and continued home to the US and into the unknown.  Still, at the moment, no one was yelling at him, no one was shooting at him, and no one was threatening to lock him up and throw away the key.  He might not know precisely _why_ he was being shipped home stateside, but if his years in the Air Force had taught him anything, it was to make the most of the quiet, safe moments and not meet trouble half way.  It had a good enough lock on his location at the best of times.

He stretched his legs out, thankful to have sufficient space for his long legs and not be crammed into a seat designed for someone half his height on a commercial airliner.  He smiled to himself, remembering his brother’s complaints the one time they were forced to fly commercial instead of by private plane from Virginia to join their parents in California at the start of the school holidays.  Dave had never quite understood that for the majority of Americans, travelling first class was a dream beyond reach, let alone fly in a private plane, and John had feigned sleep for most of that journey, but it hadn’t stopped Dave’s complaints one iota.

It was always difficult for a pilot to travel as a passenger but so much had happened in the last 12 hours that John was able to sleep quite soundly, having the soldier’s knack of being able to grab sleep wherever he could as long as he wasn’t in danger.  Thus, when he heaved his pack over his shoulder and made his way down the open ramp of the C-17, he was feeling quite refreshed.  He was due to be met at Bolling AFB and given new orders but the only transport he could see, apart from the trucks loading up with equipment from his plane, was a large black SUV with tinted windows a couple of hundred yards away.  Seeing little other option, he began to walk towards it when it suddenly started up and drove towards him.

A young airman jumped out of the passenger seat.  ‘Major Sheppard?’

John nodded.

‘May I take your pack, sir?’

John handed it over and climbed into the back of the car as the door was held open for him.  Within minutes he was inside the main building and saluting a four-star Army General wearing class As and wondering into which rabbit hole he’d fallen.

‘At ease, son,’ the General told him, and John flowed into parade rest.

‘I guess you’re wondering what you’re doing here?’

John _guessed_ this was a rhetorical question he probably shouldn’t answer, as both his surprise and his confusion were no doubt writ large on his face.  _I don’t know anyone in the Army_.

‘I don’t suppose Lyle ever discussed what his daddy did for a living, huh?’

‘No, sir,’ John replied, his mind whirling.  _He’s Lyle’s daddy?  What the actual fuck_?

********

An hour after he landed at Bolling and the day after he rescued Lyle, John was in his freshly pressed class As clutching his cover as a car drove General Holland and himself to the White House to meet with the President.  John repeated this to himself a couple of times to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

‘Relax, son.  You’ll be fine.  The President asked to meet you when he heard about your last mission, though we’ll only get a few minutes with him as he’s a very busy man.

‘Yes, sir, about that…’  John wasn’t too sure how to finish that sentence once he’d begun it.  ‘I…I had no idea Rased Al-Baham was in that convoy when I fired on it.  I only learned he was one of Bin Laden’s lieutenants after I landed.  I was just trying to keep Holl— your son and myself alive.  It wasn’t anything else, really.’

General Holland laughed.  ‘The President still wants to meet you.  It’s rare we have anything to celebrate when it comes to Afghanistan.’

‘But—’

‘No buts, son.  Just smile and say thank you when the President tells you how brave you are.  You and I will have a chance to talk afterwards.’

********

‘We need more men like you in our military,’ the President told him as he returned John’s salute.  ‘Men who are willing to risk their lives to save others.  I never served myself, but I like to think the motto of my government is ‘Never leave anyone behind’.’

John nodded although he didn’t have a clue what the man was talking about and a glance at General Holland confirmed he didn’t either, so he smiled as instructed.  ‘Thank you, sir.’

A whole series of photographs were taken of the President pinning on both a shiny new medal and two new silver oak leaves in place of the gold ones he’d worn for the last four years, and then several more of the President shaking his hand, and John wondered to himself where these would end up.  He suspected he’d just become the poster boy for the current administration and would no doubt see his face in magazines and perhaps even on posters in the lead up to the Presidential Elections in November as the PR gurus would no doubt want to make the most of any good news from Afghanistan.  He made a mental note to prepare himself for the inevitable mocking that would follow and managed to stop himself from grimacing at the thought.

_Maybe I’ll get sent on a mission where nobody knows me.  Outer space would work._

********

As the White House gates closed behind them, John wasn’t sure if he heard correctly when Holland muttered, ‘I swear he has a list of good sounding phrases given to him each morning, the fucker.’  John glanced at him, but Holland made no sign if having spoken to John, so he leaned back in his seat and waited for himself to wake up as this just _had_ to be a dream.

After signing his name a couple of dozen times, he followed General Holland into a suite of rooms at the Pentagon with ‘Vice Chief of Staff of the Army’ written under his name.

‘I thought we could talk about your next posting,’ Holland said to John as he settled himself behind the large desk and pointed to a chair set in front of it.

‘Next posting, sir?  I’m not going back to Afghanistan?’

Holland chuckled.  ‘I’ve got something a little more exciting for you, if you’re interested, of course.’

‘Sir?’

‘How do you fancy serving on a spaceship?’

John gaped at him, but after a minute or so Holland raised his eyebrows.

‘No?  Not interested?’

‘S…spaceship, sir?’

‘The USS Prometheus, to be exact.  Her CO is looking for an experienced pilot to lead his F-302 squadron, and I thought you’d be perfect, as did he when I spoke to him a couple of hours ago.’

Much to John’s astonishment the window blinds suddenly closed, blocking out the daylight, and a TV on the wall to one side began to play what looked like a low-budget sci-fi film.

‘This is the first US Interstellar Battlecruiser, launched last year and, hopefully, the first of many spaceships we’ll build,’ Holland explained.  ‘She’s operated by the US Air Force and crewed entirely by Air Force personnel although that might change as new ships are launched.  She might not be the most elegant ship ever designed, but she’s all ours, so that makes her beautiful in my book!

‘She’s part of a top secret project I think you’ll be perfect for, but I need you to sign this before I tell you anything else.  I should really have had you sign it first but…’  He shrugged and heaved a substantial comb-bound document from his desk drawer.

‘Do I need to get a lawyer, sir?’ John asked with a frown, remembering advice his father once gave himself and his brother.

‘I’m afraid your lawyer wouldn’t have the clearance to see even the outside of that agreement, Sheppard, but if it helps, I signed an identical one when I was first read into the programme.  I’m honestly not trying to get you to sign away your first-born or a kidney.’

John nodded and took the pen Holland was holding out to him.  He gave the ‘Non-Disclosure Agreement’ a quick flick through but after reading the phrase ‘penalties for disclosure include…’ a couple of times he shook his head to clear it and signed on the – many – marked pages.

Holland took it back from him and dropped it back into his drawer.  ‘Now, General Hammond, the CO of the programme you’re about to join, usually gives this briefing but, given that you’ve just saved the life of my only son, I asked if I could brief you on it.’  He gave John a mischievous grin and winked.  ‘I think you’re going to like this…’

********

John touched his new silver oak leaves and looked around him, still trying to get his head around the fact he’d been promoted and appointed third in command of a spaceship – _a fucking spaceship_! – all because he’d saved the life of his friend.  He wondered if Colonel Leverham had any inkling what was in store for his errant pilot when he’d packed him off back Stateside, and decided he hadn’t, and gave an inward grin at the thought.

As he stood on the tarmac of yet another Air Base, this time in Nevada, a jeep screeched to a halt beside the plane, and the driver, a young Airman, climbed out.

‘Colonel Sheppard, sir?’

John nodded.

‘I’m Airman First Class Stevens, sir, and I’m here to take you to Colonel Ronson.’

John knew Ronson was his new CO and Commander of the Prometheus so he nodded and climbed in the passenger seat.  Glancing towards the ground crew a couple of hundred yards away, the Airman lowered his voice conspiratorially.

‘We’ve got about a half hour’s drive to get to Area 51, sir, and there’re several security points to go through, as you can imagine, so you need to keep your ID handy.’

John nodded again.  ‘Carry on then, Airman.’

‘Colonel Ronson said to take you straight to the Prometheus,’ Stevens told him.  ‘I’m hoping to get a transfer to the maintenance crew there and get to work on the F-302s.  I just wish I could tell my mom that I’m going to serve on a spaceship!’

John couldn’t help the grin that escaped him at the younger man’s excitement.  ‘It is pretty awesome, isn’t it?’

‘Yessir, and you’re going to be the new Flight Commander, aren’t you, sir?’

John raised his eyebrows.  ‘News travels fast around here.’

Stevens grinned at him.  ‘We’re a small unit, and we keep ourselves well apart from the ‘Big Air Force’ as we call it.  Our work is top secret, and it’s easy to forget who you’re talking to after a couple of beers.’

‘You don’t look old enough to drink yet, Airman,’ John told him, and Stevens flashed him a cheeky grin.

‘I’m 19, sir, and I only drink coke, honestly.’

‘Sure. I believe you.’

********

By the time they pulled into a parking area containing a couple of dozen cars and not much else, John knew all about Airman Stevens’ family and his ambitions and, newly returned from a battlefield where even the keenest of youngsters soon became war-weary, it was quite refreshing to discover such energy and eagerness.  The spaces between the lines of Stevens’ chatter also displayed Colonel Ronson as a popular and responsible commander and so very different from the under-equipped, overworked, and understaffed COs under whom he’d so recently served.  The prospect of working with Ronson as his number three, to say nothing of flying F-302s each and every day, was quite thrilling.

‘Where is everything?’ John asked as he looked around and saw nothing but hot desert.

Stevens gave him another grin and John recognised the kid’s anticipation at being the one to reveal some great secret to him.

‘There was no way to hide something as big as Prometheus so she was built in an underground hanger and it made sense to put everything else underground as well.  After Google Earth came out a couple of years ago, we knew a lot of people would be very interested in what we did here.’  He began to walk towards what looked like an old hut.  ‘This way, sir.’

The hut was actually an elevator which opened onto the entrance to the Prometheus’ docking bay, and John realised the massive doors needed to let Prometheus rise into the atmosphere were camouflaged.  Seeing the ship in her underground hanger, however, was quite surreal, especially as she was so ugly.

‘When I first saw her I thought she looked like something my brothers and I used to build with our Meccano sets,’ a new voice right next to John said as he gazed up at her, making him laugh.

‘Just what I was thinking,’ he replied, turning to look at his new companion and giving a start when he read the name on the flight suit.  ‘Sorry, sir!’  He pulled himself to attention and saluted.

‘At ease, son.  We’re fairly relaxed here,’ Colonel William Ronson told him with a smile.  ‘You must be John Sheppard.  I’ve heard a lot about you.’  He grinned at John’s surprise.  ‘Richard Holland and I were at West Point together and remained friends even after I decided to switch services.  I’m glad you were able to rescue my godson.’

John was getting pretty tired of people making him speechless, but he managed to say something in reply to this unexpected information which couldn’t have been too stupid as Ronson patted his shoulder.

‘We’ve managed to find some quarters on base for you so I’ll get someone to show you the way.  Take the weekend to get yourself squared away and we’ll talk again on Monday morning.  We have a couple of pool cars if you want to go anywhere and there’s a list in the mess if anyone’s going into Las Vegas.  We have just the one mess hall here as we’re a fairly small base although we do have a separate officer’s lounge.’

He called over to a Lt Col busy signing paperwork while sitting on the edge of a desk pushed up against the wall.  The man looked up, smiled, and threw down his pen.  He jogged over to where Ronson and John were standing.

‘Sheppard, this is Peter Kirkland, my XO.  Kirkland, John Sheppard, our new Squadron Commander.  Will you take him to the quarters next to yours and show him where the mess is?’  Ronson turned back to John.  ‘Kirks will look after you, especially as you’re taking the Snakeskinners off his hands.  He’s threatened to space most of them at least once.’

Kirkland turned out to be a helpful guy a few years older than John.  He’d been a ‘Toad-Master’ – the pilot of a mid-air refuel stratotanker – before he left the Big Air Force to join the crew of the Prometheus, and may well have refuelled John when he flew F-16s in the Balkans in the mid-1990s.

‘So, why is my new Squadron called the Snakeskinners?’ John asked Kirkland as they ate dinner together in the base mess that evening.

‘To be honest, I don’t quite know, except it’s got something to do with some of the bad guys off-world having pet snakes or something.’

John grinned.  ‘Pet snakes? Really?’

‘Something to do with snakes, I’m pretty sure.  Maybe _they’re_ the pets of giant snakes?  The leader of the main Stargate team, SG1, christened the F-302 pilots the ‘Snakeskinners’.  Apparently, he’s got an odd sense of humour although I’ve heard he’s a great pilot.’  Kirkland grinned back at him.  ‘I’ve never been through the Stargate but I have been on a couple of other planets.  The people on those, though, were just regular people except for the fact they live on another planet. No snakes whatsoever.’  He shrugged.  ‘To be honest, we don’t have much to do with Stargate Command – that’s where the Stargate is, in Colorado.  We get one or two of them out here occasionally, but it’s like we’re the poor cousins of the whole programme really.’

‘Except for the fact you work on a multibillion-dollar spaceship,’ John added dryly.

Kirkland laughed.  ‘Yeah, except for that part.  So, what did you do in the Big Air Force?’

‘I’m just a helo pilot, nothing special.’

Kirkland narrowed his eyes as he glanced down at the uniform jacket hanging over the back of the chair.  You’ve got a lot of medals for valour for ‘just a helo pilot’, and you wouldn’t have been appointed Squadron Leader if you weren’t something special.’  His eyes moved up to meet John’s.  ‘You’re the guy who single-handedly took out half-a-dozen of Bin Laden’s Generals, aren’t you?  It was in the Stars and Stripes this morning.’

 _So it’s half a dozen now?  Really_?

John shrugged his shoulders noncommittally  Kirkland, still meeting John’s eyes, nodded once and let it go although John felt sure it wasn’t the end of the conversation.  For now, though, he began to explain what John’s role on Prometheus would be, and how he’d get to chose his own pilots for the eight new F-302s that were about to be delivered and which made the Squadron up to twenty planes.   John listened to him and occasionally nodded in response to what Kirkland was saying, outwardly attentive, but the small boy within him was jumping up and down and pumping the air with his fists yelling _Spaceships, freaking spaceships!_

 

##  **Chapter Two**

John could honestly say this was the best fun he’d had in years.  Flying an F-302 was a wet dream come true and not only was he flying a fantastic plane each and every day, but he also got to do it in space!  That, in and of itself, was awesome made real and given a hypersonic engine.  Hitherto, John considered the Black Hawk to be the most exciting thing he’d ever flown but the F-302….  Leading a squadron of them had to be the very best job in the world, and he still pinched himself sometimes to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

Life on board Prometheus was good too, and William Ronson was an understanding commander with enough experience to allow his crew to do their jobs without interference or micromanagement and yet was able to deal with the side effects of having a group of highly trained men and women living in close proximity sometimes for weeks at a time.  To relieve some excesses of energy from his pilots John began arranging games of pick-up basketball in one of the two big F-302 bays on Prometheus, and it wasn’t long before Kirkland approached him and asked him to widen the games to include most of the younger members of the crew.  Colonel Ronson happily signed the requisition orders for proper hoops and balls, and it became a regular occurrence to hear the tap, tap, tap, of a ball – sometimes more than one ball – being bounced from within the 302 bay.

John also developed a couple of friendships with people in the wider programme although, for the most part, he agreed with Kirkland’s assessment that anyone based at Area 51 was looked down upon by many of the people at the SGC proper.  One of the two people who didn’t look down on them was the XO of SG-11, a Major Evan Lorne also formerly part of the Big Air Force, who was thrilled when John offered to take him up in his F-302 when Lorne was sent out to Nevada for some trivial errand.  They didn’t discuss what either of them did in the past but, given Lorne’s experience as a pilot, John wouldn’t have been surprised to find they’d followed similar career paths, although Lorne’s Masters was in geology rather than mathematics as John’s was.  Still, they enjoyed each other’s company, and John made a mental note to approach Lorne if a place became available in his squadron as he knew the younger man had his differences with his current team leader, Colonel Edwards.

He also made the acquaintance of a surly, bad-tempered but brilliant scientist who everyone except John appeared to dislike.  McKay made John laugh, however, and an odd sort of friendship developed between them as they grew to know each other during McKay’s increasingly frequent visits to Area 51.  Indeed it was surprising how many times McKay appeared in person to look at various minor problems on Prometheus given the number of minions the man appeared to have.  John had always had a weakness for smart men and McKay hit all of his buttons, but since much of the scientist’s conversation revolved around his attraction to large breasted women with blond hair, John was content to keep their friendship strictly platonic although he certainly found McKay’s broad shoulders, mobile hands, and firm, shapely ass appealing.

The Presidential elections came and went, not that the crew of Prometheus paid much attention.  Politics was something that happened to other people many miles away, and although there was a new administration in January 2004, nothing changed for them other than General Hammond being retired and replaced by a diplomat friend of the new President.  Again, little changed for the crew although they were, nominally, under the command of the SGC.  It came back once more to the divide between the SGC and Area 51.  The crew were briefed about the imminent threat against Earth from Anubis, and that SG-1 had a plan up their sleeve but considered it was little to do with them.

At the moment Prometheus was in her underground berth with everyone confined to the craft in the unlikely event they were needed, and John was acting-XO to Kirkland while Ronson recovered from a broken ankle, sustained when he fell over one of his toddler grandson’s toys.  The crew all tried to be sympathetic to their commander’s plight but tripping over a toy car when your day job was flying a spaceship was beyond comical, and John felt sure that when Ronson did return he’d be coming across a lot of toy cars hidden around his ship.  He certainly had a couple stashed in readiness in his locker.

For the time being, though, the basketball courts were in almost continual use as the people both on and off duty tried to pass the time.  John was fully caught up on his paperwork and already two units ahead in his Air Command and Staff College training given the amount of downtime he had.  At the rate he was going he would have finished his studies to general officer level within the next six months.

‘Wanna play Prime/Not Prime, Kirks?’ John asked his friend, lounging in the XO seat with one leg hanging over the arm of the chair on the bridge of Prometheus while Kirkland occupied the Command Chair.

‘You do know you and McKay are the only people who play that stupid game, don’t you?’ Kirkland told him, his eyes fixed on the bank of monitors showing the feed from the three SGC satellites and the ship’s sensor array.  ‘Gant, can you get a wider field of view on the space radar?’

John gave him a narrow look and sat upright.  ‘What is it?’

I thought I saw—   What the _fuck_!?’

Three Motherships suddenly appeared on the radar screen having dropped out of hyperspace between Mars and Earth’s moon.

Kirkland grabbed for his radio while chaos erupted around him.  John leapt to his feet and gave a piercing whistle which earned him a frown from Kirkland who was now patched through to someone, the Pentagon probably John decided, as he thought he heard Richard Holland’s name mentioned.  His whistle did, however, bring a halt to the chaos.

‘Battle stations, everyone,’ John ordered in a voice low enough not to disturb Kirkland again.  ‘We need to be prepared to go as soon as we get the order.’ He turned back to the XO position and flicked one of the screens to CNN which wasn’t reporting anything out of the ordinary, and looked over to Kirkland who was now on his feet.  ‘I’m going to join the Squadron and get ready to deploy as soon as we’re needed.

Kirkland nodded and clicked his radio to mute.  ‘I’ll keep you briefed on the situation.’  He lowered his voice and stepped closer to John.  ‘I…John.  I’m not sure I’m ready to take her into battle.  I was a tanker pilot, for fuck’s sake.  I’ve never been in a fucking battle before!’

John rested his hand on his friend’s shoulder.  ‘But you have trained for it, Peter.  And you have the best crew in the galaxy to support you.  I suspect they’ll send someone with more experience to lead us into our first real battle, but if they don’t, I have every confidence in you.  And so does Ronson; he’d never have made you his XO if he didn’t.  Trust your training and your crew.’  He squeezed Kirkland’s shoulder, gave him a grim smile and a nod, and jogged off the bridge to get his own crew ready.

He _had_ been in battle before.

*******

One of John’s favourite films as a boy had been ‘The Battle of Britain’, especially since his maternal grandfather was British and flew a Spitfire in the battle, and was shot down and injured in August 1940.  His grandfather, who later married an American, sustained a leg injury in the crash and struggled to walk afterwards, but he loved to sit with his grandson and tell stories about that long, hot summer and the sight and sound of enemy aircraft flying over southern England.

John remembered his grandfather’s stories now as he ran through Prometheus to get to his F-302 and thought of a cultured English voice shouting ‘Scramble, chaps!’ as a call to action came to their airfield.  John’s Squadron hadn’t been scrambled as yet, but he was determined that the moment they were, his men would be ready to answer the call just as his Grandpa had sixty-four years before.

********

Waiting to engage was the worst part of any battle, especially as the Squadron was forced to listen as Major Erin Gant, Prometheus’ Communications Officer, gave the crew a running commentary on Anubis’ advance force destroying the Nimitz carrier group in the Pacific Ocean in a matter of minutes.

‘Why haven’t we been launched yet?’ one of John’s pilots muttered in frustration.  ‘We might have been able to _do_ something to help them.’

‘I guess we’re being held back until the main fleet arrives,’ John replied as calmly as he could manage, hoping his tone of voice would help his Snakeskinners.

‘What main fleet?’

‘I’m pretty certain Anubis has more ships than just these three.’

‘ _Jesus_!’ another pilot said.  ‘If this is what he can do with three ships, imagine what he could do with more!’

_And that’s why they’re holding us in reserve._

Several minutes later Gant reported that more than thirty ships had appeared on the deep space radar and John suspected he wasn’t the only one to gulp at this news.  A sudden movement which he recognised as Prometheus preparing to launch made him look around at his men and judge their preparedness.

‘ _Attention all personnel_.’  Kirkland’s voice, now strong and steady, came over the tannoy.  ‘ _We have been ordered to launch and pick up our new acting-commander, General Hammond.  All civilians report to their battle stations and remain there until further notice.  Infirmary, prepare to receive injured personnel as soon as we engage_.’

‘Right, everyone.’  John got to his feet and dusted down his flight suit with hands which were, thankfully, not shaking.  ‘If you haven’t already been, pay a visit to the head.  I want everyone ready to launch in five minutes.  Understood?’

A chorus of ‘Yes, sir’ answered him and he motioned the leaders of the four flights to join him for a briefing.

‘General Hammond will likely have specific orders for us, but the usual rules apply.  Keep your eye on your flight and your radios open.’  He turned to Williamson.  ‘You’ve got the two babies with you.  Keep a close eye on them and have them fly as close to you as they can.  They don’t have the experience the rest of us do, but I have complete confidence in them to—’  He broke off and touched his radio.

‘ _Sheppard?  General Hammond has just boarded.  We’ll be launching momentarily.  Kirkland out_.’

‘Okay,’ John told his Squadron with a grim nod.  ‘Saddle up, boys.  We’re on.’

********

 _‘Flights, this is Phoenix.  Orders from above.  Target the Al’kesh, then the gliders.  Prometheus will support us.  Keep low, everyone_.’

The next few minutes were a confusion of the screaming of F-302s and Goa’uld gliders, along with the sound of weapons firing and hitting metal.  John saw two of his F-302s go down in flames but didn’t have time to mourn their loss; instead, he used it to drive both himself and his men.  The F-302 might be the flight of his life in terms of velocity and manoeuvrability, but the Goa’uld gliders matched them in speed and agility and overpowered them in quantity.  His Squadron was taking down more of the enemy than they were losing, but overall they were outnumbered by at least ten to one, and he wondered how long they could sustain their superiority.

‘ _Phoenix, this is Prometheus.  SG-1 is on its way to Antarctica in a cargo ship.  We need to give them time to get to the Lost City under the ice_.’

John raised his eyebrows at this news.  ‘Understood, Prometheus.  We’ll do our best to give them the time they need.’

He relayed the message to his team adding, _‘We need to defend them at all costs_.’

A part of his mind followed SG-1 as they appeared to be drilling into the ice beneath them, presumably to get to the city below, while he concentrated on the battle around him.  Prometheus had moved over SG-1’s Tel’tak to protect them against missile fire from the larger cruisers and motherships Anubis had brought to the party, but this didn’t keep the more agile gliders away from them.  That was the job of John and his Squadron and, as always, he led from the front.

Within minutes he began to receive reports that the F-302s were out of ammunition and when Hammond advised him that he couldn’t receive them back on board due to the damage Prometheus had sustained, John ordered his people to rendezvous at McMurdo, just a few miles away.  Soon, he was the only F-302 remaining, and he tried to make sure each of his shots counted.  He managed to hit another Al’kesh when he realised the shields on Prometheus must be falling as fewer and fewer hits glanced off their shields with a fizz.  Just as he thought she might take a direct hit, he saw the Tel’tak had cleared the hole, and a flash of light indicated SG-1 had ringed down below the ice.  A ragged cheer came through his radio from Prometheus, and he heard General Hammond give the order to set course for Anubis’ mothership.  As he banked away from Prometheus to allow her room to manoeuvre, while still protecting the sheet of ice covering the city, he felt an impact on his plane and saw a glider speed past him.  He fought with the controls as the ice rushed up towards him, then…nothing.

********

Afterwards, John realised he remembered bits and pieces of the aftermath of his crash and subsequent rescue, but not enough to paint a coherent picture.  He remembered thick black smoke filling the cockpit and the biting cold of the ice as he lay there after hitting the ground, and thought he remembered seeing tiny bulbs of light erupt from below the ice and race towards Anubis’ mothership, but suspected he dreamed that.

When he came to full consciousness, experience told him he was in hospital.  Perhaps it was the smell of disinfectant he recognised or maybe the number of machines he was connected to; either way, he knew he was injured and that it wasn’t going to be shrugged off in an hour or two, or even a week or two.

The news wasn’t as bad as it might have been, however.  John had cracked a couple of ribs when his plane hit the ice, and broke both his legs in several places, although his padded flight suit protected him from hypothermia and frostbite when his body hit the ice.  His stomach lurched when he heard about his legs, remembering his grandfather’s injury and his inability to walk unaided afterwards, but as soon as he explained what caused his heart rate to spike he was quickly assured that medicine had moved on tremendously in the last sixty years and although it would take time, he wouldn’t suffer any long-term loss of movement.

He improved even more after Daniel Jackson and Major Sam Carter visited him.

‘As soon as we can move you to the SGC I can get to work with the Goa’uld healing device,’ Carter explained.  ‘It’s a long story but I was host to a Tok’ra for a few days, and it left me with the ability to use the Goa’uld equipment to heal some injuries.  It can’t regrow organs but it can hasten muscle and bone regeneration, but I won’t be able to use it until we get you to the SGC.’

‘We don’t have any way to explain your miraculous recovery to the medical staff here,’ Daniel added.  ‘But we brought you to the hospital in Colorado Springs from Prometheus, via Cheyenne Mountain, of course, so that as soon as they say you’re ready to begin rehabilitation, we can get you moved into the care of the medical staff at the SGC.’

‘You don’t have to do that.’

‘Yeah, we do,’ Jackson said, his lips curling into a smile.  ‘You saved our lives, and we owe you.’

‘If we do move you, though, it’ll mean your family won’t be able to visit,’ Carter said with a frown.

John gave a humourless laugh.  ‘That won’t be a problem.  I haven’t spoken to my father or brother for over ten years.’

‘What about friends?’

‘Most of the friends who might want to visit are either in Afghanistan or are read into the programme.’

Carter’s face cleared.  ‘Then we can get you moved as soon as possible.’

********

Time hung heavy while he waited for his bones to knit sufficiently to permit his move to the SGC and although he tried to amuse himself with books, magazines and the TV, there were periods when he wondered if he’d ever be fit enough to walk, let alone fly again.  Peter Kirkland came by whenever he could, but he had both his own duties and those of the third in command to do, at least until John returned.  Colonel Ronson visited and explained that while he’d do his best to keep John’s position open, he needed someone to take command of the Squadron in the interim.  One of John’s team leaders, a Major Cameron Mitchell, was asked to step into his shoes temporarily and John half expected him to be given the position permanently, given that his name had been on the list of possibles for Squadron Leader before Holland had tapped John for the post.  John knew Mitchell would be a good leader for the Squadron but it did make him wonder where he’d end up next and, damn it, he loved flying the F-302s.

Evan Lorne visited a couple of times, and Jackson and Carter returned for several visits, and on one occasion had been accompanied by their teammate Teal’c, wearing a woolly hat pulled down low over his forehead.  His thanks to John were very formal but no less sincere than those of Carter and Jackson. McKay also visited, and John didn’t struggle to make conversation when he did since McKay _always_ had something to say, usually amusing, at least to John.

On one particularly tiring day in late February when his spirits were low, and the weather matched his mood, he heard Rodney McKay before he saw him and grinned to himself, immediately feeling better.  Rodney came barrelling through the door into his room talking at top speed and top voice into his cell phone and waving his one free hand around.

‘I don’t care what Bill Lee said, Folger.  I’m in charge, and I say you’re not laying a finger on the gate.  I haven’t forgotten what happened the last time you touched it, you fucking idiot!  Now piss off, I’m visiting a friend in hospital.’  He closed his phone with a snap and threw himself into the comfy chair at the side of John’s bed.  ‘I work with halfwits and morons.  Can you believe that idiot Folger wants to try his new version of ‘Avenger’ on our gate?  Says he’s fully tested it and knows it’ll work this time.’

Since John had already heard all about F _e_ lger and his attempts to re-programme the Stargate network he was able to follow this conversation, although Rodney wasn’t always as easy to follow.  His brain switched from idea to idea far quicker than any computer could and frequently without explanation to his listeners.  Only Sam Carter appeared to come anywhere close to matching McKay’s brilliance, but now he’d known Rodney for a few months John found he could often follow the thoughts and ideas his genius friend expounded if he concentrated hard enough.

‘I thought General Hammond wanted to fire him.’

‘He did, but before he could do it that Weir woman took over and said she wanted to keep him as she thinks he’s brilliant.’  The disgust on McKay’s face revealed his own opinion.

‘Is she still there?  I thought she was going to take charge of the Outpost?’

Rodney pulled a face.  ‘She is, but something political is preventing her from going.’

John tried to hide a smile as Rodney used the same tone for the word ‘political’ as someone else might use for ‘ebola’.

‘Consequently,’ he continued, not having noticed John’s twitching lips, ‘she’s still infesting the SGC and the ban on off-world missions has stayed in place.  She won’t even let Carter contact the Asgard about Colonel O’Neill.’

John frowned at this news.  ‘Still?  Surely she knows there’s no other way of reviving him?’

‘She’s certainly been told enough times by just about everyone at in the Mountain.’

‘So he knowingly risked his life to protect Earth, and she won’t even let Sam use the phone to save him?’

Rodney glared at him.  ‘The Asgard beacon is not a telephone.  It’s a…means of communicating with them.’

‘Like a phone.’

Rodney opened his mouth to either argue or yell – maybe both – then closed it again and tilted his head on one side.  ‘You’re teasing me.’

John smirked at him.  ‘Yup.’

‘Hmmm.  Idiot.’

This time, however, the word ‘idiot’ was said with endearment rather than the venom Rodney had used when describing Felger, and John grinned at him, feeling inexplicably warm and fuzzy inside.

********

John moved to the SGC in early April.  The hospital doctors tried to argue against his discharge but General Holland – who came to supervise John’s removal personally – managed to convince the medical staff that he would receive first-class treatment from NORAD and they finally agreed to release him.

‘I’m sorry I’ve not managed to get to see you before now, John,’ Holland said once they were safe within the SGC ambulance.

‘That’s alright, sir.  I didn’t expect you to.’

‘I wanted to come, but there’s been so much to do since the battle.  We’ve not finished the physical clear-up in Antarctica as yet and don’t even mention the international repercussions to me.’  Holland gave a deep sigh.  ‘President Hayes is considering declassification.’

John tried to pull himself into a seated position but the tiny Major Fraiser, the Chief Medical Officer of the SGC, pushed his shoulder back down.

‘Stay where you are, Colonel.’

John did as he was ordered, as Rodney had told him what a martinet she was, and lay back down.

‘I didn’t think the programme was ready for that yet, sir,’ he replied to Holland.

‘It’s not, but apparently, Dr Weir has suggested it.’

His tone conveyed just what he thought of Dr Weir, as did the expression on Dr Fraiser’s face.  John looked between them.

‘Am I being taken into a mini war zone?’

Fraiser and General Holland laughed.

‘Don’t worry, son, she’s finally gone to the Antarctic Outpost to lead the team there,’ Holland told him.  ‘She’s planning an expedition to go to the Lost City of the Ancients.’

‘So McKay told me, but he also said they’ve no idea where it might be or what they’ll find if they do ever get there.’

‘They don’t as yet, but Daniel’s on the case and planning to go with them,’ Fraiser added.  ‘Dr Weir refused my offer of suggestions of medics to consider and has instead asked a geneticist to head up the medical team.’

‘A geneticist?’ Holland repeated.  ‘I didn’t know that.  What does a geneticist know about treating injuries and illnesses?’

‘Well, in Beckett’s case he trained as a doctor before he specialised, but on his own admission he’s not treated a patient for almost eight years.’

‘And she still wants him?’

‘Says he’s, and I quote, ‘invaluable’.’

‘And what does her supervi–‘ John broke off.  ‘Huh.  Who _does_ she report to?’

‘The President,’ Holland said grimly.  ‘She reports directly to him, not the Secretary of Defence or even the Chiefs of Staff, which has irked one or two people as you can imagine.’

The ambulance drew to a halt at that point, and the rear doors opened for SGC security to check the identities of the three of them and the inside of the ambulance.  Holland glanced at John and grinned as he reached into his pocket for his ID.

‘Welcome to the SGC, son.’

 

##  **Chapter Three**

John walked around the Stargate and looked up at it.

‘Do you ever think it was a mistake to open it?’ he asked Jack O’Neill who was leaning against the wall watching him.  ‘That it’s more of a Pandora’s Box than anything else?’

Jack paused for a moment to consider this.  ‘Sometimes, particularly after a nightmare.  In the cold light of day, though, no, I don’t.  The Goa’uld would have found us one day, especially as one or two of them had already visited Earth in the past and knew the coordinates if they delved far enough back in their memories.  Surely it’s better that we’re prepared for when they _do_ come, as Anubis did, and Apophis before him.’

‘But you don’t think you’ve painted a big bullseye on Earth because you’ve maybe upset the wrong person or meddled in someone else’s affairs?’

‘Perhaps, but the Stargate wouldn’t have remained hidden away forever.  At some point, whether now or in a hundred years, someone would work out how to use it and open it, and we’d be in exactly the same position.  The Goa’uld can live for thousands of years, don’t forget.’  He straightened up.  ‘And since you’ve just become the 2ic of this facility. _Colonel_ , don’t you think it’s time we got down to work?

John laughed and touched the shiny eagles on his epaulettes.  ‘Yes, sir, General O’Neill.’

********

The promotion to full bird was a shock for John, coming, as it did, only months after his promotion to light bird, but O’Neill explained it was by special Presidential request.

‘The sort you don’t say no to.  Carter got a bump up to light bird, and Jackson and Teal’c both got new medals.  T doesn’t really know what to do with the metal bit, but he sews the ribbons onto his PJs.’  Jack tipped his head to one side.  ‘They look quite fetching; I might do the same.’

At that point, John realised his new CO was stark staring mad.

For now, the pair retired to John’s office which was next door to O’Neill’s but much larger.

‘I don’t want people to be able to make themselves too comfortable in _my_ office,’ O’Neill told him.  ‘You’re here to make my life easier; ergo, you get to deal with people who just want to talk _at_ me.’

It was a unique command style but one John couldn’t fault.  ‘What exactly is my job, sir?’

O’Neill looked surprised.  ‘Well, y’know, you lead SG-1 and…make sure the scientists have decent coffee and…I’m sure you’ll figure it out.’

He wandered back into his own office at that point and left John alone, but only for a few seconds since Master Sergeant Harriman appeared in the doorway with an arm full of files.

‘You’ll need to look through these to select your new team, sir.’  He put the files on John’s desk and turned to leave.

‘Hold on a moment, Sergeant.  What new team?’

‘SG-1, sir.  Colonel Carter’s on Atlantis and General O’Neill is now in command.’

‘And Teal’c and Dr Jackson?’

‘Teal’c spends a lot of his time off-world organising the Jaffa rebellion and Dr Jackson is visiting the Unas on P3X 888.’

‘But he’ll be coming back, won’t he?’

‘Yes, but you may want to think about a replacement for him as he’ll probably go out with several different teams.’  Harriman tipped his head on one side.  ‘Although you might only need two members as Jonas Quinn was on SG-1.’

‘Jonas Quinn?  I thought he returned to Langara?’

Harriman opened his mouth to speak when an alarm began to sound, and he hurried off with John on his heels.

It wasn’t the first time John heard the alarm for an unscheduled offworld activation.  They appeared to be almost daily occurrences, but while he was in the infirmary, they never interrupted his daily routine as they were none of his concern.  Now, though, he was the second in command of the Mountain, and they were very much his concern.

O’Neill appeared just as the dialling sequence finished.

‘Walter?’

‘Receiving Jonas Quinn’s IDC, sir.’

John gave a start, and O’Neill looked across at him.

‘Sheppard?’

‘Nothing, sir.  Just…surprised.’

‘Open it up, Walter, and let him through.  I thought you’d read most of the AARs, Sheppard?  Quinn was on SG-1 while Daniel was…dead.’

‘I did read them, and I do know who he is, sir.  I was just surprised as…’  He glanced at Harriman who smiled at him.

O’Neill nodded.  ‘Walter mentioned him just before the gate dialled, did he?  Yes.  His name isn’t the only thing he has in common with Walter O’Reilly, y’know.’  He turned and watched as Quinn walked down the ramp with a rucksack over his shoulder.  ‘Better go and meet your new teammate, Sheppard.’

********

‘And then Vallis ordered the guards to lock me up.’  Jonas finished telling his story and sipped the coffee John topped up.

‘So, how did you escape from prison?’ O’Neill asked.

‘I didn’t get that far.  I’d begun keeping a packed bag in my office in the ministry as Vallis was getting more and more paranoid and I was worried he’d turn on me again.  One of the guards who was supposed to lock me up knocked out the other guard, and we both managed to get into the building where the Stargate is.’

‘And what about the man who helped you escape?  Won’t he be punished?’

‘He has family on another planet and wished to join them.  Vallis and his cronies have been targeting anyone with a foreign parent and those they suspect of being against their rule.  Petron knew they’d come after him sooner or later.  Anyone who wasn’t born in Kelowna is at risk, as are those who have criticised Vallis’ control over our country.  I knew it was only a matter of time before I was suspected of treason again.’

‘And are you guilty of treason?’ John asked carefully.

‘Against my own country?  No.  Against what _Vallis_ considers is right for my country?  Yes, absolutely.  And I’d do it again.’

‘Won’t he guess you’ve come here?’

‘Possibly, although I didn’t come here directly.  Both Petron and I went through to Ringovnia, and then I dialled the gate for Earth.  Vallis won’t care where I am as long as I’m out of his way.’  Quinn turned to O’Neill.  ‘Col— _General_ O’Neill, you know my strengths and what I’m capable of.  Will you grant me refuge on Earth?’

‘I’ll certainly speak to the President on your behalf, Jonas.  He’s the only one who can decide that, but I will support your case.  I can’t see why he wouldn’t agree, though.  You saved the lives of all of SG-1 when you were here before, as well as helping us save the planet a couple of times.  He owes you.’

‘And if you’re happy to rejoin SG1, Mr Quinn, I think we have our team,’ John told him.  ‘I know who I want for the other two places.’

‘Please, call me Jonas.  Who’re the other two?’

‘Dr Rodney McKay and Major Evan Lorne.’

*******

It wasn’t long before John felt entirely at home at the SGC.  The only thing he missed was flying every day, especially in an F-302, but O’Neill fully understood that and made sure he got enough visits to Prometheus to keep up his flying hours.  He joined John as his co-pilot on several occasions, and sometimes they switched it and John was his co-pilot.  Colonel Pendergast, the new Commander of Prometheus, being willing to let them fly an F-302 whenever they wished – or perhaps the stars on Jack’s collar persuaded him, John wasn’t quite sure.  In any event, a relationship developed between himself and O’Neill that John had never experienced with any of his former commanders; had never even _dreamed_ was possible.  Perhaps it was the kind of unique relationship that happened at the SGC, John didn’t know, but he did know that he was the happiest and most content he’d ever been.

Going through the Stargate was an adventure itself and could only be understood by those who experienced it day in and day out.  Most of the time SG-1 went out as a foursome although, as Jack pointed out, there was no reason a gate team had to be four people.  They worked well together even though McKay argued his inclusion at first.

‘I’m a scientist and quite happy to be one, thank you very much.  Furthermore, the whole reason I was brought in to the Mountain was that Carter was unable to combine being Head of Science _and_ a member of SG-1.’

‘No,’ Daniel – home from visiting his friend Chak’a – argued back.  ‘She wasn’t able to combine being Head of Science, _and_ a member of SG-1 _and_ her duties as an officer.’  At Rodney look of puzzlement, he sighed.  ‘The officers in the mountain all have administrative duties to perform as well as a certain number of hours training they need to complete.  Sam had those _as well_ as her scientific projects, and while she wasn’t in the direct chain of command, she was an advisor for General Hammond.  With all of that on her plate, it’s no wonder things got ignored.  You just have your sciency stuff.’

‘Sciency stuff!  I’ll have you know—’

‘Rodney,’ John drawled.  ‘Don’t argue with him, he just teasing you.  He’s right, you know, and it’s not taking anything away from how hard you work or suggesting Sam Carter is better than you.’

‘She isn’t—’

‘I _didn’t_ mean that, Rodney,’ Daniel told him.  ‘I just meant that you each have different demands on your time, and if you do want to become a member of SG-1, you can.  Miko Kusanagi is a perfectly capable number two and most of the scientists are terrified of her after she gave that demonstration of Samurai fighting in the mess the other day.’

John grinned at the memory.  ‘It was great, wasn’t it?  And it’s not just the scientists she terrified.  Several of the Marines looked as though they might need to change their underwear as well and I’ve had three requests that she start a training course.’  He gave Rodney sideways look from under his lashes.  ‘If you don’t want to join my team maybe I should ask Miko.’

Daniel caught the glint in his eye and nodded thoughtfully.  ‘It’s not a bad idea.  Sometimes having a woman on the team is useful, and it’s not as if she can’t defend herself, is it?  She’s probably the better option.’

Rodney stiffened and jutted his chin out.  ‘I’m perfectly capable of defending myself too; I just didn’t want to spread my talents too thinly.  A lot of people depend on me, you know.’

‘I do know, buddy,’ John told him, patting his arm.  ‘You’re an integral part of the Mountain.’

Rodney gave John a suspicious look which made him think he might have overdone the flattery.

‘Right.’ John clapped his hands together.  ‘We have a team, then.  Report to the gun range at 0800 hours, McKay, and we’ll get your accreditation sorted.’

Rodney gave him a final glare and marched out of John’s office.

‘Phew!  I thought we’d overdone it at one point,’ John said to Daniel, relaxing back into his chair.

Daniel laughed.  ‘Rodney’s like most people deep down, for all his genius.  He likes to be persuaded and have his achievements recognised, that’s all.  Rodney won’t let you down, Colonel.  He came out with SG-1 a few times when Sam wasn’t available, and a couple of times with all four of us.  He can shoot straight and run for his life; the main qualifications required for being a member of SG-1.’

‘Call me John, please.  Is that why you’d rather not go out with SG-1 any more?’

‘Thank you, and no, my decision had nothing to do with the trouble SG-1 so frequently found, and that might well change now you’re leading the team anyway.’

‘Somehow I doubt that very much.  I seem to attract trouble.’

‘Not half as much as Jack does, believe me.’

‘Hey!  I resemble that remark!’ a voice said.  Jack O’Neill was leaning on the door jamb between his and John’s office watching them.

‘You have to admit, Jack, half the times we found ourselves in prison was because of you,’ Daniel told his former team leader.

‘That still leaves the other half.’

‘Divided between Sam, Teal’c and myself.  You’re still the top of that particular league table.’

‘Perhaps.’  Jack shrugged and came fully into the room and threw himself onto the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him.  ‘I’m more interested in your answer to John’s question.  Why don’t you want to be on SG-1 anymore?’

‘That wasn’t what he asked, but my reply to both questions is the same.  I’ve always had a lot of requests from other teams to go out with them, for various reasons.  You know that as they copy you in to most of them.  I just thought this was my opportunity to…share myself out a bit.  And I’d far rather go on a mission to explore a past civilisation than watch Sam, or Rodney as it’ll now be, examine a bit of technology.  I’m an archaeologist and anthropologist, but I rarely get to go on missions where I can use those skills.’

‘You’re also the best diplomat we have in the Mountain and’ve got us out of more than one scrape.’

‘Actually, we have a whole team of diplomats on SG-9.’

‘Maybe, but they’re not you.’

‘Jack, I’m not leaving the SGC, just SG-1, and Jonas has all the skills I have and more.  He’s got an eidetic memory, for heaven’s sake!’

‘I’m just saying you more than earned your keep on SG-1 and you don’t have to stand down.’

‘I think that’s John’s decision, not yours, Jack.’

John held up his hands.  ‘Hey, I’d love you to stay on SG-1, Dr Jackson.  You can be team leader if it’d persuade you not to leave, but you said—’

‘It’s Daniel, and no, I’d much rather be a…a floating member.  If you need my skills I’ll be happy to join you, you just have to ask, but as I said, I’d much rather stick to my specialities for a while.  You’ll be just fine with the team you’ve chosen, John, and whenever Teal’c’s on Earth he’ll be joining you, I know.’

John nodded.  ‘If you’re sure?’

‘I am, but thank you for making sure.  I’ve been asked by SG-13 to join their second visit to PX3-997 tomorrow and have a look at the ruins they found.  They think they might be Furling as they’re definitely not Ancient and don’t have any of the markings generally found on Goa’uld ruins, as well as being in a sector not associated with any particular Goa’uld.  If they are Furling, they’ll be the first real sign of them we’ve found since Heliopolis and the moon of P5X-777.’

Both Jack and John smiled at his enthusiasm.

‘I still think they sound like cute, fuzzy bears,’ Jack commented and stood up.  ‘Right, gentlemen, I have…things to do.’  He pushed his hands into his pockets and strolled back to his own office.

‘So, we’re fine, are we?’ Daniel asked John.’

‘Yeah, Daniel, we’re fine.’

********

‘So some Ancient knocked up an ancestor of mine thousands of years ago?’  John suspected he should be more freaked out than he was, except it all happened a long, long time ago.

Janet Fraiser gave him an amused smile.  ‘Or your ancestor knocked up an Ancient, yes.  And the strength of your gene is extremely rare.’

‘And by strength you mean…’

‘General O’Neill has the _strongest_ gene we’ve found before you, but until you sit in the chair at the Outpost, we won’t know how _powerful_ it is since we measure that by your use of the weapons chair, what we call the Chair Interface Aptitude.  It’s a test Dr McKay devised after Carson Beckett identified the ATA gene.’

‘Okay,’ John said slowly.  ‘When will I get the chance to—’

The door to her office opened, and Rodney stuck his head around it.

‘Have you done explaining his promiscuous past to him yet?  Can I have him back in my lab?’

‘Hey, it’s not _my_ promiscuous past that’s in question here,’ John protested.  ‘You can’t blame me for what one of my ancestors did!’

‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, that’s all I’m saying.  Now, can I have him back, Dr Fraiser, please?’

John noticed Rodney was always very polite to Janet Fraiser, unlike his manner with most of the other people in the SGC.  He could only think it had something to do with the abnormally large needles she wielded on a near daily basis, and he rubbed his arm at the memory.

‘Has everyone in the SGC and at Area 51 been tested for the ATA gene?’ he asked.  ‘I’m just curious as to why my gene wasn’t picked up any sooner.  I’ve been here for almost a month, now, not to mention the three weeks I was here in the infirmary.’

Fraiser shook her head.  ‘No, we haven’t had the chance, as yet.  Dr Beckett only isolated the specific DNA marker in early March.’

This information made John frown.  ‘That’s still over two months ago, and if it’s as rare and important as you say it is, we need to make sure everyone is tested as soon as possible.’

‘I can’t have my people tied up doing hundreds of blood tests for days on end,’ Fraiser said sharply.  ‘There’s less urgency now the Atlantis Expedition has left and testing the whole Mountain, to say nothing of Area 51, will take time.’

‘They don’t need to be tied up’ John told her and held up his hand as she opened her mouth to speak, making her flush with annoyance.  ‘My gene was discovered when I was in McKay’s lab and picked up what turned out to be an Ancient children’s toy.  Why can’t we pass something we know is Ancient technology around everyone here?’  He turned to Rodney, still waiting by the door.  ‘The toy I picked up can’t hurt anyone, right?  We just need to line everyone up and let them pass it along.  Those it lights up for, we do blood tests on.’

Rodney scowled and rolled his eyes  ‘I’m an idiot! Why on earth didn’t _I_ think of that?’  He pointed a finger at John.   ‘And don’t you dare tell anyone I said that!’

John laughed at him and glanced over to Fraiser, whose frown had dissipated.  ‘I do suggest we add the test for the gene to the initial medical for anyone else joining us, though.  You take blood for various other tests, don’t you?’

‘We do, Colonel, and I agree.  I’ll add it to the protocols.’

‘Thank you, Major.’

McKay gave a huff of impatience.  ‘If you’re quite done with the mutual admiration society, Colonel, I need you back in my lab.’

‘Aw, Rodney, you only want me for my genes!’

McKay spluttered all the way back to his lab on level 21.

********

‘And so Rodney wants me to try out the chair at the Ancient Outpost.  I told him we need to wait until Prometheus is back in Sol as I don’t intend to spend three days going there and back by plane.’  John took a sip of his coffee after a lengthy explanation to Jack about his newly discovered ATA gene and was surprised when Jack frowned.  ‘Problem, sir?’

‘Not as far as I’m concerned, but there might be elsewhere.’  Jack gave a heavy sigh.  ‘The trouble is, that after the battle with Anubis the President had to do some fancy footwork to keep the whole thing hushed up from countries who weren’t read into the Stargate Programme.  A couple of those who _are_ read in were very unhappy as well, but for different reasons.  All sorts of disinformation had to be created and spread around, and still is being, to a certain extent, as we haven’t finished clearing up all the wreckage yet.

‘The French and Chinese reps on the IOA were furious when they discovered the US had more F-302s that they thought we had, even though that sort of information was never anything to do with them.  They have the basic plans for the Fighter-Interceptor, and it’s up to them to build them or not. Anyway, the Outpost has caused more problems than pretty much anything else since we began, supposedly because of the Antarctic Treaty.’

‘But in reality, the other countries don’t want the US to have control of such a powerful weapon,’ John finished for him, a look of distaste on his face.  ‘Self-serving bastards.’

Jack nodded.  ‘Exactly.  The long and the short of it is the Outpost now falls under the purview of the IOA, and you know how much I hate those fuckers.’

John smirked.  ‘Almost as much as you hate Ba’al, right?’

‘Right.  They wouldn’t let Carter contact the Asgard to get me defrosted or whatever the hell it is they do, for weeks.’

‘I thought that was more Elizabeth Weir?’

Jack shrugged.  ‘Weir, IOA; they’re both the same thing as far as I’m concerned.  Then they tried to force me to go with the Atlantis Expedition as they don’t have anyone else with a strong ATA gene and only a handful of people with the gene at all.  I refused and, for once, the President backed me against both Weir and the IOA. I think he was worried about what would happen to Earth if the Goa’uld came calling again.’

‘And you don’t want them to know I have just as strong a gene as you.’  It wasn’t a question.

‘Stronger, McKay thinks.  Certainly more powerful as you have what he calls a natural aptitude.  You’ve got Ancient doodahs I couldn’t get a squeak out of to work, and he suspects that if we got you in the chair in Antarctica, you’d be able to get far more systems online than I could the one time I was able to try after Thor sorted me out.’

John gave him a sharp look.  ‘Maybe, but you didn’t try very hard, did you?’

Jack grinned at him.  ‘Perceptive bugger, aren’t you?  I knew I liked you.’  His grin morphed into a sigh.  ‘No, I didn’t try hard, but I don’t want them to know that or to discover all the Outpost’s little secrets.  The chair is a dangerous enough weapon as it is.  I’d hate to know what else might be hiding down there.’

‘Wouldn’t it be better to know exactly what _is_ there?’ John asked neutrally.  ‘Just in case the Goa’uld do come back?’

Jack shrugged his shoulders.  ‘I have to think that if we get even a whiff of a System Lord close to Earth, Hayes will have me down there so fast you’ll think yesterday is tomorrow, and the IOA will be too busy crapping themselves and trying to get off-world to save their sorry asses.’

‘Okay, then.  Do we need to keep an eye on the IOA?’

‘I’m there before you, John.  Your chum Richard Holland is about to become the new US representative on the IOA.’

‘He’s my chum’s father, not my chum.’

‘You saved his son, that makes him your friend for life, and we need all the friends we can get, especially where the IOA is concerned.  I trust him to keep us in the loop regarding their decisions and plans, and work for the best of the US, and Earth in general, not like the rest of the fuckers who’re only interested in what they can get for themselves, be it money _or_ power.  As far as Holland is concerned, the oath he took when he was commissioned is an oath for life.  He swore to defend the Constitution of the US against _all_ enemies, and he’ll do just that.’  He took a deep breath and John mentally prepared himself for more revelations.  ‘Now.  The NID.  What do you know about them?’

John frowned.  ‘Only what McKay’s told me.  That you hate them almost as much as you do the IOA and Ba’al.’

‘Ba’al killed me and then shoved me in a Sarcophagus dozens of times, and the IOA would do the same if they got even half a chance but without the Sarcophagus.  The NID claim to be patriotic but are just greedy bastards for power and money.  McKay hates them as much as I do and has learned from experience to have as little to do with them as possible.’

‘They were responsible for him spending three months in Siberia, weren’t they?’

Jack wiggled his head from side to side.  ‘Indirectly, yes. McKay pissed off Carter and she…retaliated, you could say.  It wasn’t her best moment by a long shot, but she was also responsible for bringing him back to the SGC and recommending he be made Chief Scientist so maybe she redeemed herself in the end.  Anyway, you need to keep an eye out for the NID although they’ve been much quieter of late, and that bothers me.  They’re most interested in Area 51 since that’s where most of the tech we find off world goes, although I know McKay keeps the very best stuff here, even more so now he has his own pet Ancient light-switch.’  He grinned at John’s discomfort.  ‘Don’t worry, Sheppard.  Fraternisation isn’t a thing here as we work so closely together and the rules have to be different when you deal with aliens and other species.  Just don’t hurt him.  He might be a pain in the ass, but he’s _my_ pain in the ass.  I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for McKay, he’s saved my life more than a few times.  But that wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about.

‘I have a couple of files on the NID I’ll let you have, but if you have any problems and I’m not available for any reason, go to Malcolm Barrett.  He’s one of the NID’s senior agents and one of the few good guys in the organisation.  Dated Carter a couple of times, as well, but I don’t hold that against him.’

John grinned, then frowned suddenly in the realisation of what Jack had just admitted.  ‘You say you have files? Isn’t that rather…dangerous?’

‘Handwritten files only, and they’re well camouflaged unless you’re looking for details of the Mountain’s sewage system.  I’ll put them on your desk later.  You’ll need to go past the drainage plans and details about the blockages we’ve had here.’  Jack laughed at the distaste on John’s face.  ‘Just drawings, relax.  Well, there might be one or two photos of blockages, usually after the mess has served curry.’

John threw a paperclip at him.  ‘Get out of here, sir.  You’ll put me off my dinner.’

 

##  **Chapter Four**

With mouths agape, John and Rodney looked around at the chaos in what was an orderly gateroom just two days previously.

‘I go away for a weekend, and the whole place goes crazy!’ Rodney muttered.

‘You and me both, buddy,’ John muttered back then raised his voice and called to a Marine struggling with an armful of…  ‘Stackhouse, what are you doing with all those toilet rolls?’

‘Dr Jackson forgot them, sir.’

John stared at him, then turned and looked to see if it had made any more sense to Rodney.  It hadn’t.

”Scuse me, sir,’ Markham said, and John stepped automatically to one side.  Markham squeezed past him to get fully in the gateroom and dropped the contents of his arms on the pile Stackhouse had begun.

‘That’s the last of the toilet supplies,’ Markham told his friend, and John leaned down to read the contents of the box then stood up, quickly.

‘Markham, why is there a crate of Tampax in my gateroom?’

Markham looked around, suddenly a little panicked in case anyone else had heard.  ‘Sir, General O’Neill, sir—’

‘Do _not_ tell me General O’Neill ordered a crate of Tampax.’

‘Sir?’

‘Stackhouse, any help here?’

‘General O’Neill is practising evacuating the SGC through the Stargate, sir,’ Stackhouse replied, cuffing Markham round the head.  ‘Last time we forgot toilet rolls and…female…stuff.’

At that very moment, O’Neill strolled past them into the gateroom, eyes fixed firmly on a clipboard.  ‘Stackhouse, did you get the—’ He stopped and beamed at his XO.  ‘We’re improving, John.  We got all the packaged food and drinks through in one dial-out, and most of the personal belongings as well.  There’s obviously room for improvement, but that’s what all this is about, isn’t it?’  He grinned happily at John, clearly waiting for his praise.

‘Sir?  What are you doing?’  John spoke as gently as he did to frightened and skittish horses.

O’Neill gave him a puzzled look.  ‘Evacuation drills. I emailed you about them, didn’t I?’

‘No, sir, you didn’t.’

O’Neill hummed to himself.  ‘I could have sworn I did.’  He gave his head a shake as though to clear it and grinned again.  ‘Never mind.  I thought about it when the Expedition left, how important it is to be able to evacuate quickly and efficiently.  If they’d practised, as I suggested, they’d’ve managed to get a fuckton more stuff through the gate.  Then, when I was chatting about it to Danny, we realised there was heaps of stuff they didn’t take, which we’d need if _we_ had to evacuate.’  His grin disappeared and he continued in a low voice.  ‘If _we_ have to evacuate it means Earth is lost and we might never come back.’

John nodded, knowing the senior officers of the SGC would be the final people through the gate and, as Jack said, if they had to leave it was because there was no hope left.  ‘How about we go to my office, sir, and you fill Rodney and me in with what you’ve learned so far?  We can catch up on what we’ve missed and maybe get together with the NCOs this afternoon.’

Jack nodded and turned to the personnel in the gateroom.  ‘Take a break, gentlemen – and ladies,’ he added catching sight of Dr Fraiser on the opposite side of the room.  ‘Team Leaders report to the briefing room at 1400 hours.’

John saw Rodney give the crate of Tampax a baleful glare and grinned to himself while he poked McKay into movement.  ‘They won’t hurt you, McKay.’

‘Perhaps t _hey_ won’t, but I do hope someone remembered to order large amounts of chocolate otherwise the people they’re meant for _might_ hurt me!’

********

Jack called them through into the briefing room before John and Rodney reached John’s office.

‘There was more room in here to spread out,’ he told them both as they gazed around at the various piles of paper clipped neatly together on the long table, Daniel Jackson in the midst of them.

‘I kept him out of your office,’ Daniel said with a grin.  ‘You’re welcome, by the way.’

‘How long have you been planning this?’ Rodney demanded.  ‘And why am I only hearing about it now?  I should have been involved from the start.’

‘Keep your hair on, McKay!  What you have left, at any rate.’  Jack grinned irritatingly at him.  ‘It was something I thought about while the Expedition was getting ready to leave and I realised the number of things they hadn’t asked for.  I did try to suggest to Dr Weir that some things were missing from their lists, but she wasn’t interested.  How were your 48 hours, by the way?’  He waggled his eyebrows suggestively making both John and Rodney flush.

‘It was fine, thank you, sir,’ John replied his face beet red.

‘Leave them alone, Jack, and keep your nose out of their relationship,’ Daniel scolded.

‘I was just—’ O’Neill began before being interrupted by Daniel.

‘When Jack told me the Atlantis Expedition hadn’t taken any seeds to grow their own coffee I started to look into it,’ Daniel explained, talking over the top of his friend.  ‘Did you know that it can take six months for a coffee seed to germinate?  It’s a further three or four years before the plants begin to form any fruit.’

‘Probably why they didn’t take seeds with them,’ John commented, poking at one of the piles of paper scattered about the table, his colour almost back to normal.  ‘Weren’t you hoping to get a ship ready way before then?’

‘Perhaps, but if _we_ were forced to leave Earth and form a new society elsewhere, we’d need to take coffee seeds with us and plant as soon as we could.  Maybe take a few actual plants with us as well.’

Jack noticed McKay had gone very pale when Daniel mentioned the amount of time it took coffee to grow.  He figured he’d won the Chief of Science over already though Sheppard might take a little more work.

‘Danny suggested that we draw up lists: essentials; things we would like but could live without at a push; and luxury items.  I wondered why you hadn’t sent me your lists, John.’

‘Who made up the lists for my departments?’ Rodney asked, reading the top page of one of the piles.  ‘These are all essential items for the Engineers.’

‘Miko,’ Daniel replied.

‘She never mentioned it to me.’

‘If she emailed you it’s probably in your trash,’ John told him.  ‘I’ve noticed that if the subject line isn’t immediately obvious to you, you tend to delete it without looking at it.’  He turned to Jack.  ‘Who have you got downloading all the music and books we can afford?’

Rodney snorted.  ‘We can just steal it if we’re leaving Earth for good.’

‘Rodney.’  John lengthened the name into several syllables.  ‘We don’t _intend_ to leave Earth at all.  This is all just preparation in case the worst happens, right, sir?’  He looked to Jack for confirmation.

‘Right, and I have a couple of Marines pretty much downloading the entire contents of the Apple Store: music, books, tv shows, films.  The lot.’

‘The idea is that we store everything close to the gateroom and update it regularly,’ Daniel explained.  ‘Perishables and technology alike.  We’re also intending to advise everyone on base to begin keeping a go-bag in their office or rooms if they have accommodation here.’

‘And we’re beginning a list of the people we want to evacuate with us: family, friends, people we need to set up a new society,’ Jack added.  ‘The only rule is, we won’t accept any politicians.  Not a single one.  I dare say the White House has its own list of folk they’d want to evacuate, but they’re not coming with us.’

‘How can you prevent that?’ John asked curiously.

‘Everyone who gets on our list has to be vouched for personally by someone at the SGC.’

‘But what if we don’t have enough, I don’t know, say, plumbers coming with us?’ Rodney asked.  ‘And other trades?  We’ve got some of the most brilliant minds on Earth here, but most of them wouldn’t know a washer from a wheelbarrow.’

‘That’s another part of Jack’s Great Plan,’ Daniel said, grinning at his friend.  ‘We make separate lists of the skills we already have on base and then a further list of those we need.  We then begin recruiting those people.’

‘This is more than just an exercise, isn’t it?’  John gave Jack a sharp look.

Jack nodded, suddenly very serious.  ‘The whole Anubis thing terrified me.  We were so very close to getting our asses handed to us.  I’ve also got…’ he sighed ‘not a premonition, as such, more an uneasy feeling in my gut, and no, Danny; it’s not too much pie.’  He sat back in his chair and stretched his legs out.  ‘We’re very vulnerable here, both on the planet _and_ at the SGC.  The IOA is trying to increase their influence over us, and I don’t trust them to have the best interests of the SGC or even Earth at heart.’

‘I don’t disagree with you,’ Rodney said, surprising Jack a little.  ‘I don’t trust the IOA as far as I could kick the bastards, but where do you intend we go?  The Alpha and Beta sites are all known to the Pentagon, at least.  In fact, there’re precious few places in the Milky Way where we’d be safe, so…Atlantis?’

‘Atlantis,’ Jack agreed.  ‘I’ve been very careful to keep the gate address out of any reports.  In fact, no one outside of this room knows it, apart from Walter, and I intend to keep it that way.  Daniel’s worked out an address in a completely different galaxy which should make a connection if anyone dialled it and we’re each going to memorise it just in case anyone should try and force it out of us.’

‘You think it could come to that?’ John asked.

‘I think it’s best to prepare for any eventuality.’

‘But as soon as anyone sets foot through the Stargate they’ll realise it wasn’t Atlantis,’ John objected.

‘Not necessarily,’ Rodney said slowly.  ‘Apart from ourselves and Walter – not you, John, of course – no one else was in the control room and saw what address Walter dialled _or_ what footage came back from the MALP.  There’s no reason to suppose the gate address for Atlantis leads directly into the city itself.  If someone were to go through the Stargate to the fake address, it could be quite a while before they’d realise it didn’t lead to Atlantis.’

‘And do _you_ think all this is necessary, Rodney?’ John asked.

Rodney paused for a moment.  ‘As Jack said, I don’t think it does any harm to prepare,’ he said at length.  ‘I’m not convinced the SGC is the best place to store everything, though.  Anyone could discover it, and then questions would be asked.’

‘Then where do you suggest?’ Jack asked.  ‘It needs to be immediately accessible; otherwise, it defeats the object.’

‘Give me some time to think about it,’ Rodney said finally.  ‘I have a couple of ideas, but I need to check one or two things and have a chat with Miko.  In the meantime, how are you paying for all of it?  There’s no way you can hide all this,’ he waved an arm at the lists, ‘in the SGC accounts.’

‘Jack and I have pooled our finances,’ Daniel explained.  ‘I’m pretty well paid for an Archeologist and have very little expenditure.’

‘Then allow me to contribute as well as they pay me even more than you,’ Rodney offered.

Jack watched Sheppard, listening to McKay with only one ear.  His XO was clearly thinking something through, and whatever it was made him uncomfortable.

‘Care to share with the rest of the class, Sheppard?’

His voice broke John from his reverie with a start.

‘I… I think I can help with the finances, sir.’

‘Okay, thank you.  We’ve opened an account with First National if you want to pay any contribution in there.  Danny’s got the details to give to your bank.’

‘No, you don’t understand.’  John looked at the floor.  ‘I can pay for pretty much anything we need.’

Jack tipped his head on one side.  ‘Ookaay. Want to elaborate?’

John flushed.  ‘I don’t talk about my family much,’ he began, then paused.

‘And, so, therefore?’  Jack waved his hand in a ‘go on’ motion.

‘My parents, my father is…’  He paused again.

‘Oh for fuck’s sake, Sheppard,’ Rodney said in exasperation.  ‘Your father is Patrick Sheppard of Sheppard Industries, right?’

John paled slightly.  ‘How did you…?’

‘He offered me a job years ago,’ Rodney admitted.  ‘You reminded me of someone when we first met and then I remembered.  He has the same pointy ears as you do.  I Googled him and a picture of him with you, much younger, of course, came up.’

‘Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘Because you never speak of him, or your brother.  There was obviously a big falling out between you all.  I mean, he never even came to visit you in hospital.’ McKay shrugged.  ‘I know what it’s like to be at odds with your family.  I haven’t spoken to my sister in years.’

‘Not that this isn’t all very interesting,’ Jack interposed.  ‘But what does the fact that your father is one of the country’s richest men have to do with our secret evacuation schemes?  We can’t ask him to contribute.’

‘We don’t need to,’ John said, switching his attention from Rodney to Jack.  ‘I have a trust fund which I’ve never touched.’

‘Never touched?’ Daniel repeated.  ‘Why?’

John shuffled uncomfortably and rubbed the back of his neck.  ‘My father had my life all planned out for me: Harvard, maybe an internship somewhere high profile, then join the family business.  The trouble is, he never asked me what _I_ wanted, and I wanted to fly.  He told me I could fly one of the company planes but that wasn’t what I meant.  I refused to go to Harvard and went instead to Stanford to read Applied Mathematics.  When I left home he seemed quite resigned to my plans, maybe he thought I’d grow out of it, I don’t know.  Then after a couple of weeks or so he wrote to me to say that if I wanted to strike out on my own, then I should _do_ it alone.  He’d already paid the fees for my first term, but my accommodation was paid monthly so I needed to find some way of paying for it as I couldn’t touch my trust fund until I was 25.’  He shrugged.  ‘I’m not the first person, nor the last, who had to pay their own way through college.  I got a job bussing tables and moved into cheaper digs, then took out a loan to pay for the immediate costs and applied for a couple of scholarships.  I’d already joined the ROTC; maybe it was that which pushed my father into cutting me off, I don’t know.  I tried to call him, but his secretary said he was ‘unavailable’, and he didn’t call me back.  I tried a second time and got the same response, so I never bothered trying again.  I’ve not spoken to either my father or my brother for almost sixteen years.’

‘And your mother?’ Jack asked quietly.

”She died when I was 12.  Cancer.’

‘And your trust fund?’

‘I never touched it.  By the time I was old enough to access it I was in the Air Force and didn’t need large amounts of money.  Anything I wanted that I couldn’t afford, I saved up for.  It became a principle not to touch it and make my own way in life.  I appointed my own financial advisor as soon as I could, mostly to get it out of the purview of my father, but I’ve spent most of my career overseas in war zones where I couldn’t spend anything even if I wanted to.  I don’t intend ever to spend it, so I’m happy to donate it to Operation get the hell off Earth.’

‘WITSLLEN,’ Daniel said suddenly.

‘Wit-what?’  Jack gave him a suspicious look.  ‘You alright there, Space Monkey?’

‘WITSLLEN.  We’re In The Shit Let’s Leave Earth Now’

The others laughed, relieving the tension caused by John’s confession.

‘WITSLLEN.  I like it,’ Jack nodded.  ‘The WITSLLEN plan it is.’

********

The WITSLLEN plan – or Operation Dynamo, officially called after the Dunkirk evacuations in 1940 – carried on as an undercurrent to the SGC’s usual schedule of missions and exploration.  Master Sergeants Harriman and Siler joined the cabal of O’Neill, Sheppard, Jackson and McKay, mostly because very little happened at the SGC without their knowledge or, in the case of Siler, without his assistance.  Rodney was investigating a means of storing and transporting their goods and John transferred half of his trust fund into the relevant bank account, Jack refusing to accept any more than that.  Daniel was attempting to make a list of any family or friends of SGC personnel to evacuate with them, all done secretly and without revealing what their plans actually were.

SG-1 had several off-world missions to introduce John to various allies as Jack’s replacement which went off peacefully enough.

‘It worries me,’ John admitted quietly to Jack one evening over a meal in the mess when Rodney was paying one of his periodic visits to Area 51.  ‘From what I’ve read and heard about the SGC these periods of calm are usually the precursor to new and even more fucked up periods of mayhem.’

“What can I tell you?’  Jack shrugged.  ‘You’re not wrong, but in my experience, it’s best to make the most of these times and sleep with a gun under your pillow.  And wear pyjamas,’ he added.  ‘When the worst does happen it’s often in the middle of the night, and I’ve learned the hard way; don’t sleep naked, wear pyjamas.’

John nodded, suppressing the snort of laughter which wanted to emerge and changed the subject.  ‘How’s Teal’c getting on out in the big bad world? I’ve not seen much of him for a couple of weeks.’

Jack pulled a wry face and waggled his hand from side to side.  ‘So-so. He managed to get himself embroiled in a neighbourhood fight when he first moved into his flat and I got a phone call from that asshat Kendrick from Special Investigations.  Said he was concerned T might be a threat to SGC secrecy.’

‘And?’

‘And I told him to piss off.  It’s bad enough it’s taken eight years for T to get permission to live off base without the OSI sticking their nose into his every movement.  Teal’c would no more risk our security than he would shake hands with Anubis.  He’s done nothing but give when it comes to this planet.’ Jack put down his fork and scrubbed his face with his hands.  ‘I’m getting tired of all the crap that gets thrown at us.  Maybe I’m getting old, but it didn’t use to be like this.  Sure, we had our problems off-world, some bigger than others, but there seems to be a…an _undercurrent_ now that wasn’t there before.

‘Everyone wants their bit of the SGC; the Russians and Chinese especially, but the French aren’t far behind, _demanding_ access to our top secret projects as though it’s some god-given right, yet refusing to hand over a single cent to our running costs.  And that right there,’ he stabbed the table with a finger, ‘is one of my major problems.  I never used to worry about how much it costs to run this place; I just got on with my job.  Now I’m poring over account sheets every day of the fucking week.’

John gave him a look of concern.  ‘Perhaps you need a break, Jack?  When was the last time you had a weekend at your cabin and did some fishing?’

‘I can’t even remember.’

‘Rodney and I had a weekend away not long ago.  Why don’t you take 48 hours and go up there?  Prometheus is in orbit; she’s back from the Othala galaxy with her brand new Asgard refit so they can always beam you back quickly if you’re needed urgently, especially with our shiny new subcutaneous locator chips.  Maybe Daniel would go with you.’

Jack gave a short laugh.  ‘He hates fishing.  Still, he might be ready for a break as well.’

‘Go and have a word with him now,’ John urged.  ‘Get Prometheus to beam you there directly.  There’s nothing in the diary for the next couple of days.’

‘Will you manage on your own?’

‘Of course, I will, and I can reach you through Prometheus if I need to.  Go.’  He made shooing motions at his CO who nodded and stood up.

‘I will.  I’ll go see Danny right away.’

John watched him walk away and took note of the bowed head and shoulders.  Jack had aged in the few months he’d known him, and he made a mental note to call General Hammond in DC the following day and see how he had coped with the stresses of running the SGC.

 

##  **Chapter Five**

By 10am the following morning John was beginning to regret persuading Jack to take a break.  By 10.30 am it was full-blown grief.  He scrubbed his fingers through his hair once again, making it stand even more on end, and glared at Richard Kendrick.

‘You say you received an anonymous call telling you Teal’c had attacked this man,’ he glanced at his blotter, ‘Doug McNair, and so you called the police.  Don’t you think it at all suspicious the call was made to _you_?’

Kendrick shrugged dismissively.  ‘Why should I?  The Jaffa was heard threatening to kill a man who was later assaulted.  It’s obvious he did it.’

John shook his head.  ‘No, it’s not obvious, and his name is _Teal’c_.  He’s a valued member of the SGC not just ‘the Jaffa’.  You’ll do well to mind your manners in this facility, _Lieutenant Colonel_.’

Kendrick flushed but held his ground.  ‘The police are confident they’re looking for the right man.  _Teal’c_ had both means and motive and is now on the run.  I warned General O’Neill what would come of allowing him to have freedom of movement and to live off-base, and I’ve been proved right.’

‘And that’s what you care about, eh?  Being right?  Not that our trusted ally and, yes, _friend_ , has gone missing.  Just that you think you can now say you told us so.  You disgust me!’

A muscle under Kendrick’s eye twitched.  ‘Colonel Sheppard, I realise he might be your friend, but the man’s a killer.  He was First Prime to Apophis, and he killed people _every single day_.  It was his job.’

‘Just as it was my job at one time,’ John told him, watching him through narrowed eyes.  ‘And the General’s job.  He and I were both in Special Forces, Kendrick.  We were trained by the US of A to kill their enemies.  Teal’c did no more than many of us here in the SGC have done in our own careers.  I don’t expect a desk jockey like yourself to understand that, but I followed orders just as Teal’c did.’

‘And yet he’s known as ‘ _shol’va_ ‘, isn’t he?  A word that translates as traitor?’

John stood, forcing Kendrick to get to his feet.  ‘Teal’c is loyal to the US _and_ the SGC, Kendrick.  He’s also an essential member of my command.  Now, as I understand it, your job is to provide professional investigative services to me, and so I am _ordering_ you to investigate the circumstances behind Teal’c’s disappearance and the anonymous telephone call you so helpfully received.  _Dismissed!_ ‘

Rodney was waiting in view outside John’s office as Kendrick departed.  He watched Kendrick stride down the corridor to the lift for a moment, then stepped fully into the room.

‘What’s got _his_ knickers in a twist?’

John sat down, tipped his chair back, and surveyed the concrete ceiling.  ‘Teal’c’s gone missing.  He’s allegedly attacked a civilian and put him in hospital, and is now on the run.  Or so Kendrick claims.  O’Neill’s going to have a fit when he gets back tomorrow unless I recall him today.’  He shook his head. ‘I’m doing everything I can but…’

‘I might have something that will help,’ Rodney told him, waving a sheet of paper.

‘What?  How do you even know about it?’  John brought his chair back up.  ‘And I thought you were still at Area 51?’

‘I was.  I got back an hour or so ago.  I don’t stay there any longer than I have to now although it’s better since Kavanagh went to Atlantis.’

‘Okay, but how do you know about Teal’c?  I only found out a couple of hours ago when Kendrick called me to say Teal’c was missing.’

‘Oh, it’s probably all around the base by now.  Gossip spreads faster than an STD here, you know.’  He waved the paper again.  ‘I was sent this.’  He held it out for John to take and read.

‘What’s it say?’ John asked, frowning and looking at the unfamiliar letters.  ‘Wait, is this Ancient?’

‘Full marks, go to the top of the class etcetera etcetera.  It _is_ Ancient.  I received it by email about ten minutes ago, _but_ I received a telephone call first.’

John gave him a blank look.  ‘I don’t follow.’

‘Apparently, I wasn’t the original recipient of the message, Jackson was; but since he’s away and hadn’t opened his email, the sender chose me in his stead.  I got a telephone call telling me to open my email, which I did, and found this.  They, whoever ‘they’ might be, want me to translate it into Goa’uld in exchange for which they’ll give me proof Teal’c is innocent.’

‘How do they know…Can you translate it?’

‘Probably, given enough time, but my Ancient and Goa’uld are by no means fluent.  Certainly nowhere near Jackson’s level.’

‘And you have no idea who sent it?’

‘Nope.  The phone call was made from a cell phone, probably disposable.  I certainly can’t trace it, neither can Miko and she’s about the best there is.  Likewise, the email was just a Hotmail address and though Miko tried to trace _that_ she lost it somewhere in a cyber cafe in Bangkok.’

‘So we have no way of knowing who these people are?’

‘They’re going to email me a location to meet them at in…’ he glanced at his watch ‘…about 50 minutes.’

John bent forwards and banged his head on his desk a couple of times.  Rodney reached over and caught his shoulders.

‘Stop it, idiot.  It won’t help.’

‘I need to recall Jack and Daniel.’

‘I think so.  Apart from the message itself, Jack is very close to Teal’c and would want to be here for him.’

‘I kinda hoped they might manage a couple of days break together.’

Rodney tilted his head on one side.  ‘You do know they’re not ‘together’, don’t you?’

‘Together?’

‘Together.  Like we’re ‘together’.’

‘They’re not?  But…’

‘They’re friends, John.  Just good friends.  Have been since the first trip through the Stargate.  Daniel is one hundred per cent straight.  I’m not so sure about Jack, I admit.  He _was_ married, but I suspect he’s bisexual at the very least.  Most of the gene carriers we’ve come across are bisexual at the minimum.’

‘I knew that.  I read Fraiser’s report.  I just thought Jack and Daniel…Huh.’

‘That’s my line,’ Rodney told him with a grin.  ‘But, yeah.  They’re not together as a couple, just as friends.  And yes, you do need to recall them.  I’m going to get another email or call in about 45 minutes now, so we need to start making some plans.’

********

Prometheus beamed Jack and Daniel directly into John’s office.  Jack glared at John.

‘I leave for less than 24 hours, and Teal’c goes missing?’

‘It’s not John’s fault,’ Rodney began, but Jack turned and pointed a finger at him.

‘Shut up, McKay!  _You’re_ exchanging correspondence with the people who set Teal’c up.’

‘Jack.’  Daniel laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder.  ‘It’s not their fault. Rodney only got the email because I was away.  If I’d been here, I’d have been the one who opened it, and _you’d’ve_ been the one to see Kendrick.’

Jack dropped down on the sofa and scrubbed his face with his hands.  ‘I know, I’m sorry.’  He heaved a great sigh and looked up at the three men watching him.  ‘What do we know?’

‘According to Kendrick, Teal’c attacked the boyfriend of a neighbour in the apartment block where he’s living.  Several people admit to hearing him threaten this guy yesterday, then this morning the boyfriend was found in a stairwell badly beaten.  Teal’c is missing and hasn’t been seen by anyone since last night.’

‘And how is Kendick involved?’

John gave a bark of laughter.  ‘Kend _r_ ick, although I admit _Kendick_ suits him better.  He received an anonymous tip that Teal’c attacked McNair, and took off in fear.’

‘In _fear_?’ Jack repeated.  ‘I can’t see Teal’c doing anything ‘in fear’.’

‘No, neither can I.  I’ve sent Lorne and a couple of Marines to make a full search of his apartment.  Maybe they’ll see something Kendick didn’t. Meanwhile, McKay received this email and a phone call from persons unknown, so there’s obviously more to this than meets the eye.’

‘I agree,’ Jack nodded and turned to Jackson.  ‘Danny, can you translate the information sent to Rodney?  It might give us a clue where to start looking for who or what’s behind all this.  Very few people have access to written Ancient.  Before today, in fact, I’d have said no one outside of the SGC.’

‘Maybe Area 51?’ Rodney suggested.  ‘Though they have minimal access.’

‘The NID are the most likely candidates for blackmail,’ Daniel pointed out.

‘We thought the same,’ John admitted.  ‘I put in a call to Malcolm Barrett, and he’s on his way here.’  He glanced at his watch.  ‘Should be here soon, in fact.’

‘Okay,’ Jack nodded again.  ‘I’ll go call General Hammond.  He needs to know what’s happening, and you need to get that translation done, Danny.  Give me a call if Barrett turns up, John.  And don’t worry.’  He offered both John and Rodney a wan smile.  ‘I don’t blame you.  I was just letting off steam.’

********

Fifteen minutes later they met again in John’s office, where Malcolm Barrett and two pots of coffee were waiting.  Rodney made grabby hands as soon as he saw the coffee.

‘Oh, you angel,’ he muttered into his cup, and it wasn’t clear if he was talking to John or his coffee.

‘Agent Barrett, will you bring us all up to date, please?’ John requested.

Barrett nodded and consulted his notes.  ‘First of all, the police have no evidence that Teal’c attacked McNair whatsoever.  He’s a low-level drug dealer and well known to the police.  Even with the verbal evidence that Teal’c threatened him yesterday after seeing him hit his girlfriend, the police weren’t interested in him until Kendrick called them to report an anonymous call he’d received and, unsurprisingly, they can’t follow up the call as it was made from an unregistered cell phone.’

‘The same one used to call Rodney?’ Daniel asked.

‘There’s no way of knowing, Dr Jackson, but it’s possible.’

‘If there was an anonymous call at all,’ John mused.  ‘I don’t like Kendrick one bit.  He’s a racist fucker, and that doesn’t sit well with me.’

‘I agree,’ Barrett nodded.  ‘But we have no reason to connect him to the attack and disappearance.  He would probably argue that since his office gave Teal’c permission to live off-base in the first place, they’re on his side, and only want to find Teal’c to help him.  Now, Dr Jackson, I understand you’ve been able to make the requested translation?’

‘Yes, and it concerns me.’  Daniel fumbled through the papers he’d brought with him and finally pulled out a sheet covered in his tiny handwriting.  ‘It’s the details of how to construct a drone.’

There was a stunned silence, finally broken by an exclamation from Rodney.

‘ _What!_   We have no idea how to construct a drone!  I wish we did because from what I was able to see from the short visit I made to the Outpost, we’re running low down there, although, of course, we don’t have a power source to connect to the Control Chair to fire them, so the whole thing’s irrelevant at the moment though I’m—’

‘Rodney!’  John put a hand on Rodney’s shoulder.  ‘Breath!’  He watched while his partner took a couple of deep breaths then turned back to Daniel.  ‘Are you sure they’re instructions on building a drone?’

‘As sure as I can be although I’d like Rodney to take a look at it.’  Daniel passed the sheet of paper across the table and they all watched as Rodney scanned it.

After a couple of minutes, he looked up.  ‘Daniel’s right.  These’re instructions on how to build a drone or at least part of the instructions.  I suspect there’s a large chunk missing as well as the blueprints I’d expect to see but even so, it’s far more than we’ve ever known before.  I wanted to take a drone to pieces to see if we could work out how to make them, but since the Outpost is now under the purview of the IOA, I wasn’t allowed.’  He shot a glare at Jack who lifted his hands as though to ward him off.

‘Hey, not guilty.  Blame those fuckers, not me.’

John cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand.  ‘Do you think they deliberately left off part of the instructions or is that all they have.  Daniel? Rodney?’

‘I think it’s all they have,’ Rodney replied, looking through the notes again.  ‘If I were in their position I wouldn’t have included the last couple of lines as they’re the most important; in fact, I suspect I could build a drone just from this information although I’d like to bring in Radek Zelenka from Area 51 to check it over with me.  He’s an engineer, a good one, and I’d like his input, but he doesn’t have clearance for the SGC.’

‘Zelenka?’ Jack repeated.  ‘Is he American?’

‘Czech, which is why he doesn’t have clearance.  The US doesn’t like having foreign scientists in their top-secret programmes, myself being one of the few exceptions.’

‘I’ll speak to General Hammond about getting him clearance,’ Jack told him.  ‘He’ll have had a pretty stringent background check for Area 51.’

Rodney nodded.  ‘If you can, I’d like to have him reassigned here.  He’s almost as clever as me though I’d never tell him to his face.’

John grinned.  ‘Of course, you wouldn’t.  Now, what about Daniel’s translation?  Do we send it or hold it back?  They’re due to contact Rodney again shortly.’

‘What have they threatened to do if they don’t get it?’ Jack asked, tilting his head to one side.

‘Nothing as yet,’ John replied.  ‘But if they’re the ones who tipped off Kendrick about Teal’c in the first place, then we have to think they either have fabricated evidence which proves Teal’c is guilty—’

‘Which he isn’t!’ Jack snapped.

‘No, of course not, but if the police are given solid evidence unless we can disprove it, there’s little we can do.’

‘Damnit, John!  Teal’c’s done nothing but give to Earth and the SGC.  He even gave up his family for us, for chrissakes!  We can’t let him be used as a pawn by the dicks in the NID.’

‘And we won’t,’ John assured his CO while Barrett shifted uncomfortably.  ‘What I was about to say is that it’s possible they physically _have_ Teal’c.  Actually have him.’  John waited while the others digested his comment.  ‘Think about it.  Teal’c, allegedly, attacks someone and then disappears.  _We_ know he wouldn’t run away in fear as Kendrick is suggesting, but the only other explanation is that someone – probably the same someone who made the call to OSI – has kidnapped him and is holding him pending our co-operation with regards to the Ancient text.’

‘And we can’t tell the police about the blackmail,’ Daniel added thoughtfully.  ‘It’d reveal far too much about the SGC to far too many people, for a start.’

‘Which is what they’re banking on probably,’ John agreed.  ‘If we refuse to co-operate, they’ll reveal Teal’c is an alien and out the whole Stargate programme.  Agent Barrett, is there anything more you can suggest we do?’

‘Find the group behind the phone call and email,’ Barrett said promptly.  ‘Eighteen months ago I’d have said the same as General O’Neill – that it was the rogue NID or the Committee – but we took them down, and I’m as certain as I can be that the NID is now clean.  I’ve kept a very close eye on the personnel.’

‘But you can’t be certain you arrested all the rogue members, can you?’ Daniel pointed out.  ‘After all, just a few months ago we discovered Dr Keffler had escaped detection.  Who’s to say there aren’t more groups like his?’

‘I don’t disagree with you, Dr Jackson, but just as Keffler’s group came to light eventually, I’m pretty sure something would have cropped up before now if there were still hostile elements within the NID.  After all, we’d been looking for Keffler for over a year.  If this is a group outside the NID, well, it could be anyone or anywhere.’

‘Any suggestions on who they might be?’ John asked the room generally.  ‘If it is, indeed, a new group.’

‘Someone with access to Ancient technology, or a good information source at the very least,’ Rodney said promptly.  ‘The data they sent us came from somewhere.  We have a little material we were able to download from the Outpost before the Atlantis Expedition left, but we’ve never found any other actual written information apart from bits and pieces on the actual technology.’

‘Like the time device on P4X-639,’ Jack added, pulling a face.

John grinned, having heard details of that event from Jack one evening over a few beers, then sobered.  ‘If it is a new group formed from the remnants of the NID or the Committee they’re likely to be a threat to the whole SGC, not just Teal’c.’

‘Agreed,’ Barrett said.  ‘But I don’t know how to go about finding them.’

‘Well, it’s almost certain they have a Stargate,’ Daniel pointed out.  ‘If they want access to alien artefacts, which _was_ their primary goal, that’s the most certain way of acquiring them.’

‘But if it was on Earth wouldn’t we able to trace it?’ John asked.  ‘Sam Carter was able to find the second gate once before.  Can’t we use the same method?’

‘Already being done,’ Rodney told him.  ‘We’ve kept a watch out for any signs of a second gate being used on or near Earth since I became CSO.  It’s a programme measuring energy spikes and needs little supervision, but it means we can quickly see if one’s in use.  I’ve also got Miko keeping an eye on what happens close to us in space; after all, the Goa’uld often have Stargates on their Motherships.  If a ship holding a Stargate comes close to Earth, we’ll know about it.’

John placed his hands flat on his desk.  ‘Right. Hopefully, Lorne’s back by now and may have some additional information for us.  In the meantime, I suggest Agent Barrett puts out a few feelers to his contacts to see if there’s any chatter about Teal’c, and I’m also waiting for Kendrick to report back.  Rodney, get Miko to do some of her deep diving into the dark-web to see if she can pick up anything interesting, and I want you to stall these guys when they call.  Say you need to wait for Jackson to get back to help with the translation or something.  We need to buy ourselves a little time to try and find out more about the whole situation.’

‘Although, you’ll probably have to go and meet them face to face at some point,’ Jack added, and sighed at the look of puzzlement on Daniel’s face.  ‘Danny, you can’t just email them the translation and hope they’ll release T back into the wild.  There’ll need to be a proper handover, and since they’ve already instructed McKay not to tell anyone about this, you and he will need to meet with them.  McKay can tell them he needed your help with the email.’

Daniel nodded a little sceptically.

‘Don’t worry,’ John told him, including McKay in his words.  ‘Jack and I’ll be on board Prometheus with a few Marines when you have your meeting, and we’ll keep a lock on your subcutaneous locators at all times and be ready to beam down the minute you need help.  The beaming tech is a closely guarded secret as yet, so they won’t be expecting back-up to appear, and you’ll both be armed to the teeth as well.  Make sure you’ve both got the new miniature radios fitted.  Unless they give you a thorough search, they hopefully won’t spot them, and it means we can listen in to your conversation.  Are you both okay with that?’

Rodney and Daniel exchanged glances and nodded while Jack clapped his hands.

‘I’ll go see Siler about my radio.  Have you got yours, John?’

John tapped his ear.  ‘Already in place, and, all being well, very few people know about them either.  Let’s hope we can keep it that way.’

Lorne was waiting outside John’s office as Barrett, McKay, and Jackson filed out, and John called him in.

‘Find anything, Evan?’

Jack paused to listen and leaned on the doorframe between their offices.

‘There were obvious signs of a struggle,’ Lorne began, turning his head between the two senior officers.  ‘Overturned chairs and tables, and there was a burnt patch on one of the walls which looked suspiciously like a blast from a staff weapon.  I can’t think why Colonel Kendrick would think Teal’c had just run off.  My guess is the intruders, whoever they were, got him to open the door as there was no sign of forced entry and zatted him once inside.  It’s also possible that Teal’c wasn’t alone as there were a couple of used wine glasses on the floor near the coffee table, and one of them smells as though it had contained white wine suggesting it might have been a female visitor.’

‘Well done, Lorne,’ Jack told him.  ‘Since T doesn’t drink alcohol it couldn’t have belonged to him.’

‘No, sir.  I made enquiries of the other apartments on Teal’c’s floor, and two people mentioned his friendship with his immediate neighbour, a girl called Krista, who happened to be the ex-girlfriend of the man Teal’c supposedly attacked, McNair.  One neighbour also said he hadn’t seen Krista since last night either.  She works in a local diner but hadn’t turned up for work today.  There’s one other thing, too.’  He paused and looked between the two other men.  ‘Dr Fraiser heard about Teal’c being missing, and she asked me to check for his Tretonin injections.  The wallet he keeps them in was in his bedside table.’

‘So he doesn’t have his Tretonin with him,’ Jack murmured.  ‘Then our rescue mission just became more urgent since he needs a daily injection.’

‘How long can he go without one?’ John demanded.

Jack sighed in frustration.  ‘After about a day without he’ll start getting weaker and weaker.  You’ll need to check with Janet Fraiser, but I think his body finds it can’t fight infection and begins to shut down.  It’s a helluva thing: can’t be free with a symbiote, can’t live without one, so Jaffa become dependent on Tretonin to keep them alive.’

‘And he’s now been missing for about fourteen hours, possibly more.  When would he have taken his last dose?’

‘First thing in the morning, I think.’  Jack screwed up his face.  ‘Unless he’s changed his routine.’

‘So he’s got a few more hours until it starts to get critical.’  John clicked his radio.   ‘Rodney? We don’t think Teal’c’s got his Tretonin with him, so our timescale just got moved up.  Have they contacted you yet?

_‘No, but it should be any time now.’_

‘Then you need to get a face to face with them ASAP.  We need to get to Teal’c in the next few hours or else…’  He broke off, not sure how to continue.

_‘We might not be in time.  Understood. I’ll let you know as soon as they call.’_

John clicked off his radio and turned back to his CO.  ‘All we can do now is wait.’

********

Jack had barely sat down in his chair and picked up some of his hated paperwork when the door between his and Sheppard’s office flew open.

‘We’re up!  Rodney and Daniel are meeting these guys in forty minutes in Flanagan Park in Colorado Springs.’

Jack jumped up and together they made their way down to the Armoury and Ready Room on level 28.  ‘Who’s driving?  I don’t trust either of them behind the wheel.’

‘Ha!  Neither do I.  Stackhouse and Markham are going with them but will stay well back.  They all have the new radios and will stay in touch with us aboard Prometheus.  Rodney and Daniel also have one of our normal radios each.  Hopefully, if someone searches them, they’ll find those and not look too closely for the new ones.’

‘Hopefully,’ Jack muttered.

Lorne and the Marines were waiting in the Ready Room already kitted out and fully armed with both Zats and P90s, and they watched as Jack and John geared up.  Jack felt himself miss the quiet presence of Teal’c at his side even as he nodded to John to move out to the main staging area from where they’d all be transported up to Prometheus.

The group of nine appeared in one of the large bays on the ship where Peter Kirkland greeted John enthusiastically.

‘Are you sure you don’t need an extra man?  I’m perfectly willing to put myself under your command, John.’

‘ _I’m_ in charge here,’ Jack protested.  ‘I’m the senior officer.  And the most experienced at jailbreaks if need be.’

‘See what I have to put up with?’ John said to his friend, his smile belying his complaint.  ‘And shouldn’t you be on the bridge?’

‘I’m here to guide you up there.’

Jack and John exchanged glances, and both raised their eyebrows at Peter Kirkland, who laughed.

‘Yeah, okay,’ he admitted.  ‘You know your way around as well as I do.  I was just hoping you might need extra help as I’m off duty at the moment.’

‘We’ll put you top of the list for back-up,’ John promised and swept his arm out.  ‘Lead on, No 2.  Take us to your leader.’

The group from the SGC followed Kirkland up to the bridge where Jack and John greeted Colonel Pendergast, and the rest of the party gathered together at one side, ready to be transported down if necessary, but out of the way of the ship personnel.  Pendergast ordered Gant to let them all hear Markham’s commentary on their progress through Colorado Springs to the _rendezvous_ point twenty minutes away from the SGC and the situation when they arrived.

_‘We have a clear sight on the two Doctors making their way to the bench, but there’s no one else in sight as yet.  Stacks is with the SUV round the corner and—  Hang on, we have movement.  A van has pulled up about eighty yards away, much closer to the bench then we dared get and…yes!  Two men are going to the bench, but there’s no sign of Teal’c.’_

Jack swore to himself and touched John’s arm.  They moved over to join Lorne and the Marines, all of them prepared for action the second they were transported.

_‘They’ve reached the Doctors and—  Fuck!  Deploy!  Deploy!’_

********

They met in the briefing room for the debrief, and the purposeful way Jack seated himself and placed his hands on the table displayed his, admittedly rare, anger and frustration.  He fixed his gaze, initially, on Richard Kendrick sitting at the other end of the long table.

‘So, tell me, Lieutenant Colonel,’ he began conversationally.  ‘Whose side are you on?  Ours, or theirs?’

Kendrick flushed and turned his head as though to ward off a blow.  ‘Your— our side, of course, sir.  I didn’t mean…it was an accident…I…’  He trailed off.

‘Do you _ever_ check your facts before you go barging into a situation?’  Jack’s gaze on Kendrick never wavered.  ‘Do you always implicitly trust whatever an anonymous caller tells you?  You claimed Teal’c assaulted a known drug dealer and said he’d gone on the run when there was absolutely no evidence to support such an idea.  You didn’t even bother to check his flat when one glance would have told you there’d been a struggle as well as the use of at least one alien weapon.  How many people in Colorado Springs do you know with access to a staff weapon?’

Kendrick gave a minute shake of his head and gulped.  ‘None, sir.’

‘None, sir,’ Jack repeated, his gaze still fixed firmly on Kendrick.  ‘You barge into the middle of an operation because someone told you Doctors Jackson and McKay were there selling secrets to an enemy of the US.  A single telephone call to the SGC would have given you enough information to know you should back off.  Instead, you lead a raid on a position under my close surveillance, almost getting my scientists killed, and allowing the people who were actually guilty not only to get away but time to wipe the computer drives of their equipment before they did.  Equipment they had no business in having and which might have contained valuable information to their personnel and location.  This is all down to you!’  His increasing volume as he catalogued Kendrick’s crimes ended at a shout while Kendrick himself cowered in his seat.

John decided it was time he took a role in this melodrama, not least to prevent Jack from having a stroke.  ‘I’ve already spoken to the Secretary of the Air Force, Kendrick, and he’s agreed that you’ll be replaced as an advisor to the SGC.’  John’s tone was clipped and ice-cold.  ‘I have no idea where they’ll post you now and, quite frankly, I don’t care.  You’ve endangered the lives of my men, have exhibited extreme racism and prejudice and are, all in all, a thoroughly nasty human being.  Get the fuck out of my mountain and don’t even _think_ of breathing a word about the Programme to anyone, ever.  Understood?’  He called to the Marine standing guard outside the door.  ‘Sergeant Banks?  Please escort Colonel Kendrick out of this facility.  Make sure he gets a thorough search to ensure he has nothing hidden on him, _anywhere_.’

Banks nodded smartly.  ‘It’ll be my pleasure, sir.  Colonel Kendrick?  If you’ll come this way, please?’

Kendrick stood and glared at John.  ‘I’ll have my own report to make about my treatment in this…this—’

‘Get him out of here, Sergeant, with extreme prejudice!’

The men around the briefing table watched with satisfaction as Kendrick was manhandled out of the room, still shouting threats at them.

Rodney cleared his throat, and they turned their attention to him.  ‘Now we’ve got rid of that fucker, can someone tell me what happened after we got zatted?’  He waved a hand between himself and Daniel Jackson.

‘Markham gave the signal for us to transport down as soon as he saw the men who approached you had Zats,’ Jack explained.  ‘Unfortunately, we didn’t have a clear shot at them, and they got you and Danny into the van before we could do anything.  We beamed back up to Prometheus while Stacks and Markham followed the van, but it managed to lose them.  Fortunately, Prometheus could track you to the warehouse complex they took you to, but we had to beam down outside since we had no idea what might be _inside_ it.’

‘And Kendrick and his little gang got in before we did,’ John added, his anger still evident.  ‘By the time we got to you there were just the fuckers from the OSI, and you two and Teal’c, all trussed up and out cold.’

Rodney gave a wry grin.  ‘I wish I’d been able to see Kendrick’s face when you appeared in the warehouse.’

‘So do I,’ Daniel agreed.  ‘I hate being stunned.  Still, at least we have Teal’c back and Tretonined up, even if he does have to spend a day or two in the infirmary.  And whoever kidnapped us didn’t manage to get the translation, either.’

‘We’re not out of the woods yet,’ Jack cautioned.  ‘They’ll probably try again, in one way or another.  Perhaps we should restrict everyone to the Mountain for the time being?’

‘Do we have room to bring in all the wives and families?’ John asked.  ‘That’s probably impossible, but if they can get hold of Teal’c, _everyone’s_ in danger.  Rodney, can you ask as many of your people as possible to stay here for the time being?  And as many families as we can manage. Lorne, can we get SFs for anyone who _has_ to leave the Mountain?’

Lorne looked at Rodney.  ‘How many people is that, doc?’

Rodney threw up his hands.  ‘As if I know that!  Ask Dr Kusanagi; she’s probably got a list of everyone.’

Lorne moved away from the table and tapped his radio, presumably to speak to Miko Kusanagi.

‘In the meantime,’ Jack began, ‘Barrett, can you go through what we _did_ manage to retrieve from the warehouse and see if you can pick up any clues on who these people are, or who they work for?’

‘We know they have access to Goa’uld weapons,’ John pointed out.  ‘That’s got to limit our field.’

‘And points even more to the Committee or a variant of it,’ Jack added.

‘What if they’ve managed to get hold of a Goa’uld ship?’ Daniel suggested.  ‘That would give them access to any weapons it carried.  And since they didn’t vanish into thin air, we can assume they ringed away, which also points to it.’

‘There is one scenario we haven’t discussed,’ Jack said, worry suddenly etched on his face.  ‘What if these people are working _with_ the Goa’uld?  Spaceships don’t just grow on trees.  Plus, access to a Stargate on a Ha’tak or Al’kesh would also give them access to alien technology, which we know the Committee and NID wanted.  Maybe these guys want the same and are happy to do a deal with the devil if it gives them what they want.’

John closed his eyes as though in pain.  ‘I do wish you hadn’t suggested that sir because I can see just how plausible it is.’

‘And it’s easy to see the natural progression of that line of thinking,’ Rodney said in an unnaturally quiet tone.  ‘If the Goa’uld _are_ involved, how likely is it they’ve snaked at least some of the members of the group?’

 

* * *

 

 

##  **Chapter Six**

Later that evening Jack and Daniel received permission from Dr Fraiser to visit Teal’c.

‘I sometimes feel as though I’m not really in charge here,’ Jack muttered to Daniel as they made their way through the infirmary to their friend.

Daniel laughed.  ‘Of course, you’re not.  General Hammond never dared stand up to Janet.  What makes you think you can?’

‘I meant in charge of the whole damn mountain!’

‘So did I!’

Jack opened his mouth to argue but then shrugged and instead grinned at the sight of Teal’c sitting up in bed wearing a medical gown.  ‘I guess they couldn’t find any scrubs any to fit you, big guy.’

Teal’c raised an eyebrow, the only facial expression he ever gave.  ‘Indeed.’

‘So,’ Daniel began.  ‘How are you feeling, Teal’c?’

‘I am feeling well, Daniel Jackson.  I offer you my thanks for your concern.’

Jack collapsed into a chair at the bedside and swung his feet up onto the bed, only to move them when Daniel slapped his leg.  ‘What?’

‘You know Janet’ll yell at you if she catches you.  Is it really worth it?’

Jack muttered under his breath as he made himself as comfortable as possible in a plastic chair, then fixed his attention on Teal’c.  ‘Is there anything you can tell us about what happened to you?’

‘I was kidnapped from my apartment, O’Neill.’

‘Yeah, we kinda got that.  Do you know who kidnapped you?  And why?  Think of it as a verbal AAR.”

‘I was enjoying a drink with my neighbour, Krista, when my front door was knocked upon by her boyfriend.  I saw him through the door viewer, and I opened it to ask what he wanted.  Four men, whom I had not seen through the viewer as they had concealed themselves to the side of the door, forced their way into my apartment and attempted to disable me utilizing a Zat’nik’tel.  I fought back during which time the table for coffee and several chairs were overturned but I—’

‘Y’know, T man?’ Jack interrupted.  ‘I don’t need the blow by blow report.  Just the highlights will do.’

‘I was kidnapped from my apartment, O’Neill.’

Jack sighed.  ‘Do you know who took you?’

‘I was unable to determine their identities, O’Neill.’

‘Right, okay.  Did…did you hear _any_ names of people or groups of people mentioned?  Anything we can use to find them?’

‘I did not.’

‘Can you tell us anything about what they wanted?’

‘I cannot.’

Jack rubbed his face in frustration.  ‘Is there _anything_ they might have said?  Any clue at all?’

Teal’c’s gaze focussed on the wall behind Jack, as though he was searching his memory and suddenly his eyes met those of Jack.  ‘When I regained consciousness for the first time they did not realise I could hear them as they spoke.  The man who gave orders to the other men spoke of a person, or persons, not present to whom he must give a report.  One of his underlings spoke in derogatory terms of a trust, for which he received a blow to his face.’

‘A trust?  What does—’ Jack began when Daniel interrupted him.

‘Was it trustee. Teal’c?  A group of trustees, perhaps?’

‘No, Daniel Jackson.  The word he used was trust.’

‘ _The_ trust?  Was it a name?  The name of a group?’

‘I do not know, O’Neill.  The word was never again vocalised.’

‘General!’  The angry tone of a woman’s voice startled the three men.  ‘I said you and Daniel could visit for _ten minutes_.  That was half an hour ago!’  Janet Fraiser put her hands on her hips and glared at them all.  All four feet nothing of her radiated displeasure and Jack and Daniel stumbled to their feet.

‘Sorry, Dr Fraiser.  We didn’t notice the time,’ Jack said, trying his best to give her a confident smile even as he backed away from her.  ‘You know how Teal’c chatters away.  We…We’ll just be going, now.’  He grabbed Daniel and pushed him towards the door furthest from the irate MD.  ‘Nighty night, Teal’c, Janet.  Sleep tight.’  He lowered his voice as he continued to push Daniel.  ‘Will you get a move on?  _I_ don’t want to get caught by her even if you do.’

‘I’m going, I’m going.’

The door slammed behind the two men as they made their escape.

********

Teal’c visited John’s office soon after he was released from confinement the following day.

‘I wish to thank you, Colonel Sheppard, for your help in rescuing me.  I am very grateful for your assistance.’

John shifted in his seat a little uncomfortable.  ‘Don’t mention it, Teal’c.  I’m sorry you got involved in it at all.’

‘I think it is better for everyone if I return to my quarters here rather than live elsewhere after the confinement to the base has been lifted.’

‘If you’re sure, Teal’c.  Now Kendrick’s been transferred perhaps…’  John shrugged not quite knowing how to finish that sentence.  In his opinion it was much safer for all concerned, Teal’c included, if he remained at the SGC, but it wasn’t his decision to make.

‘General O’Neill has offered accommodation in his house should I desire to live off-base, but I prefer to remain at Stargate Command,’ Teal’c told him.

John nodded, relieved with his choice, and offered Teal’c a small smile.  ‘SG-1 has a mission tomorrow morning.  Are you coming with us?’ he asked, changing the subject.

Teal’c bowed slightly.  ‘I should be honoured, Colonel Sheppard.  Will Daniel Jackson be joining us?’

‘Not this time, just Rodney, Jonas and myself.  Lorne’s gone off with SG-10 to look at some rocks they’ve found.  His interest in geology is quite disturbing sometimes.  SG-5 came across some ruins they think may have something to do with the Ancients, so Rodney wants to take a look at them.  A nice easy mission for once.’

Teal’c tilted his head to one side.  ‘I believe you may have cast a jinx upon the mission, Colonel Sheppard.  Such comments are unwise to make.’

He bowed again and left the office.  John frowned to himself and wondered if that had been Teal’c’s attempt at humour.

********

Humour or not, the mission was undoubtedly jinxed, although in a way none of them could have foreseen.

‘And you say it just suddenly vanished?’ Jack demanded.

The two corporals who had been on security duty in the Gateroom swallowed nervously.

‘There was a flash of bright light which blinded us both, I think, sir,’ one of them said, and the other nodded in agreement.  ‘By the time we could see properly again all the alarms were blaring and…the Stargate had disappeared.’

‘Master Sergeant Harriman was in the Control Room,’ the other added.  ‘He looked as shocked as us.’

‘Well, there’s certainly nothing either you or the Master Sergeant could have done to prevent it from happening,’ John told them both.  ‘Go and get some breakfast, then hit your bunks.  You’re both dismissed.’

The pair saluted but paused at the door to allow Rodney and Jonas Quinn to enter the room.  Rodney watched them leave.

‘I hope they’re not in any trouble,’ Rodney said as he and Jonas sat down at the briefing table in John’s office and spread their belongings around themselves.

‘They’re not,’ John told him.  ‘It wasn’t their fault.’  He jerked his chin at the laptop Jonas was setting up.  ‘What’ve you got?’

‘The video footage from the Gateroom.  Take a look at this, Colonel, General.’

Jack and John watched the footage in silence then exchanged glances.

‘That looks suspiciously like—’ Jack began.

‘An Asgard transporter beam,’ Rodney finished for him.  ‘Just what we thought, but it certainly wasn’t the one on the Prometheus.’

‘It’s not exactly unknown for the Asgard to ummm…kidnap someone from the SGC, is it?’ Jonas said carefully.

‘No, but – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – there’s always a good reason why,’ Jack replied with a scowl.  ‘Why would they want to take our Star—’

He was interrupted as Daniel burst in clutching a laptop.

‘You’ve got to see this!’ he told them, pushing aside the papers on the table and pressing a couple of buttons on his computer.  ‘It’s from yesterday morning.’

They watched in silence as the footage showed a man in a white lab coat kneeling at the top of the ramp close to the Stargate.

‘It looks as though he’s fixing something to the gate,’ John said, peering closely at the screen.  ‘Do we know who this is?’

Rodney leaned over and enlarged the image to see it more clearly.  ‘That’s one of the new scientists who joined when Weir was in charge.  I can’t remember his name.’

‘Howard Craven,’ Jonas supplied.  ‘He’s a systems analysis and Miko hates him.’

‘He’s also unemployed as of this very minute!’ Rodney snapped, then turned to look at John and Jack.  ‘If that’s a location beacon, and I think it is, it explains how they took the gate.’

‘Except we still don’t know just who ‘they’ are,’ John argued.  ‘Or why they took it.  I agree with Jack, though. It’s unlikely the Asgard would steal our Stargate.  Why would they?’

‘And as far as we know we’re the only ones in the galaxy who have access to Asgard beaming technology,’ Daniel added.

‘Unfortunately, Daniel Jackson, that is not the case.’  Teal’c, standing behind them, spoke for the first time making them all jump.

‘ _Gah!_   Don’t _do_ that, T.’  Jack shook himself.  ‘Can’t you cough or something now and then so we remember you’re still here?’

‘I do not have a cough, O’Neill.’

‘Ignore him, Teal’c,’ Daniel said.  ‘He was being facetious.’

Jack stuck the tip of his tongue out at Daniel, and John glared at them both, once again wondering how Rodney could say that they weren’t in a relationship together.  ‘Please continue, Teal’c, and ignore the peanut gallery.’

Teal’c bowed again.  ‘The false god Anubis was able to steal the knowledge of the Asgard from Commander Thor.’

‘And that’d include how to build an Asgard transporter,’ Daniel added, enlightenment dawning on his face.  ‘But that doesn’t explain who stole our Stargate since we’re pretty certain Anubis is gone for good.  At least, there’s been no sight or sound from him since Antarctica.’

‘Indeed.’  Teal’c bowed his head.  ‘However, when last we met, Master Bra’tac suggested that the System Lord Ba’al now controls of much of the former fleet of Anubis, except there was no proof of this, simply rumours of his predations.’

From the corner of his eye, John saw Jack mouth predations and, thankfully, Daniel came to the rescue before he had to admit he didn’t know either.

‘From the Latin _praedatio_.  The taking of booty or plunder.’

‘Huh,’ Jack said thoughtfully.  ‘Good word. Probably get you a good score in Scrabble.’

John sighed and shook his head at his CO’s comment.  ‘So, if we think Anubis was able to build an Asgard beaming device and now Ba’al’s got hold of it…’

Jack frowned.  ‘Okay, I get that bit, but why would Ba’al need to steal our Stargate?  And what about the Trust Teal’c mentioned?  Agent Barrett and Dr Kusanagi between them were able to confirm it’s the name of a new gang on the block with connections to technology companies.  How do they fit into this?’

‘What if we were wrong yesterday about the Trust having a Stargate on their ship?’ Jonas suddenly said.  ‘They _didn’t_ have one but _did_ have the beaming technology, and now they’ve got our gate and access to the whole galaxy.’

‘But Ba’al wouldn’t just give away technology like that,’ Daniel objected.  ‘Why would he give them an Asgard beaming device?  And I doubt they stole it.  He’d keep it under heavy guard.’

‘And it wouldn’t be easy equipment to dismantle and steal anyway,’ Rodney added.  ‘The Asgard transporter tech on Prometheus is integrated with the hyper-drives.  It’s all powered from the same source.  I would assume one built by Anubis or Ba’al to be similar.’

‘Okay, leaving the Asgard beam aside, how are we going to get in touch with our off-world teams?’ John demanded.  ‘There’re four teams out there at the moment and as well as Lorne.  They all know to make their way to the Alpha site, but without a gate, we can’t get them home, and it’ll take Prometheus several days to reach them.  And if any of them run into problems and need a quick extraction…?’

‘We’ll get them all home one way or another,’ Jack said, grimly.  ‘What really worries me, though, is this Trust group must be better organised and probably better funded than we previously thought.  And if Ba’al is involved with them?  That terrifies me.’

********

Jack sank into the sofa in John’s office and demanded a whisky.

‘I’ve just taken it hard and dry from the President,’ he announced.  ‘I need a drink.’

John tried hard to hide his grin.  ‘At 8 am, sir?’

‘Very hard and very dry.’

‘You’ve told him about losing the Stargate, then?’

Jack glared at him.  ‘We didn’t lose it. It just…’  He made a fist then splayed his fingers.  ‘Vanished.’

‘Yes, sir.  I’ll remember that.  Not lost; it just vanished.’

‘Are you mocking me, Colonel?’

‘Certainly not, sir.  I wouldn’t dare.’

‘I’ve saved the world more times that you’ve…you’ve…’

‘Had Stargates vanish, sir?’

Jack’s eyes narrowed.  ‘Hard and dry, _Colonel_.  Want me to demonstrate?’

John quickly unlocked his bottom drawer and pulled out a bottle and two glasses.  ‘Shall I make it a large one, sir?’

A few minutes later Rodney burst into John’s office without knocking, as usual.

‘Craven didn’t report for work this morning, so I had Stackhouse and Markham beam into his apartment.  It’s been completely cleared out, down to light fittings and carpets.’

‘McKay, you can’t just order my men around like—’ John began but was interrupted by Jack.

‘Cleared out, huh?  That wasn’t done in a couple of hours.’

‘That’s what I thought.  I’ve got Miko going through Craven’s—  Hang on a minute.’ Rodney reached up and tapped his ear.  ‘Go ahead.  Did he, now? That’s very interesting.  Thanks, Miko.’  He turned back to Jack and John.  ‘Craven had half a million dollars paid into an account in the Cayman Islands last Friday.’

‘ _Before_ Teal’c was framed?’ John asked.

‘Yes.  Why?’

‘Well, it’s puzzled me that you received the phone call and email from the Trust so soon after you got back from Area 51.  I mean, I wasn’t expecting to see you until the following day.’

‘I told you I never stay there longer there than I have to, now.’

‘Mmm, but your return was a surprise.  I thought it was purely coincidence at the time although it niggled at me, but what if someone _told_ them you were back on base, and that Daniel was still away.’

‘I did see Craven when I got back,’ Rodney said slowly, obviously thinking back to his return.  ‘He’d fucked up some code Radek Zelenka needed for the new ship and I went to yell at him.’

‘Daedalus,’ Jack interjected.  ‘Apparently we’re naming her the Daedalus.’

Rodney glared at him.  ‘Who names these things?  First, we had a trickster and a thief who was condemned to eternal torment, and now the father of a kid who flew too close to the sun despite being warned not to.’  He shook his head as if to clear it.  ‘Craven.  Yes, Craven.  He also asked where Daniel was, now I think back.  Very few people knew he and Jack had gone away for a few days, and Craven asked if Daniel was off-world.’

‘And what did you say?’

‘To ask Jonas if it was something urgent, but he said it wasn’t and then said he needed a break and was going for a walk.’

‘Going for a walk where?’

Rodney now glared at John.  ‘How should I know?  I took it that he’d have a wander around the corridors.  It’s too much hassle to go outside through countless checkpoints just for a few minutes.’

John immediately picked up his phone and dialled the primary security for the facility.  He asked the guard who answered to email him a list of everyone who entered and left through the checkpoint between 6am and noon on Monday 28th June.  Barely four minutes later John’s computer pinged as a new email arrived and he quickly scanned the list.

‘Here it is: Howard Craven, signed out at 10.57 hours, signed back in at 11.14 hours.’

‘That’s a long phone conversation,’ Jack said dubiously.

‘He’ll have taken a short walk around as well, just in case anyone was watching,’ John replied.  ‘It’s what I’d do.’

‘And I received their email at 11.21.’  Rodney was scrolling through his emails.  ‘They called me just before it arrived.’

‘But what does this prove?’ Jack asked, looking between the two men.

‘That Craven was far more involved than just putting a locator beacon on the Stargate, for a start,’ John told him.  ‘What’s his background, Rodney?’

’38, MA in computer science from Cornell, one of about a dozen scientists brought into the SGC by Elizabeth Weir, although she took most of them to Atlantis.  No issues with his security clearance.  He’s an average analyst. I wouldn’t have employed him, but Weir insisted on hiring him.  I was going to transfer him to Area 51 to work with Zelenka on the Daedalus, but Radek doesn’t want him.’

‘Okaay,’ John drawled as he thought this through while Jack sipped his whisky.

‘Bit early for that, isn’t it?’ Rodney asked, frowning at the glass in Jack’s hand.

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but John got in first.

‘He’s been on the phone with Hayes explaining about our vanishing gate.  Any ideas on how we get it back?’

‘Jonas is going up to Prometheus shortly to scan for unusual energy signs in our system.  Miko’s written him a programme to use, and I’m going to work with her to extend the scan on Earth.’

‘Why?  I thought we’d decided they were using a ship.’  Jack sounded a little puzzled.

‘We did, but it’s just possible they have a base on the planet too.  After all, Keffler and the men the other day both had bases in warehouses.’

‘And what’s Danny up to?’

‘He’s going through Craven’s computer to see if there’s anything there.’

‘Wouldn’t he have deleted everything or wiped it as the guys in the warehouse did?’

Rodney scowled at him.  ‘It’s impossible to wipe a networked computer as the information isn’t stored on the machine itself, and you know full well nothing is ever really ‘deleted’.  I went through that with you myself, O’Neill.  Please don’t play the stupid card with me.  I know you’re ABD in Astronomy.’

Jack had the grace to flush.  ‘And I asked you to keep that quiet, fucker!’ he muttered.

‘Is there anything we can do?’ John asked, hoping to cool the pair’s tempers.  ‘Anything or anyone you need me to shoot?’

‘And don’t you even get me started!  I know—’

‘McKay, lay off.  You can yell at me after you’ve found my Stargate.  I’ll even put it in my diary if you want, but please, for the love of God, don’t start now.  Go back and let Miko boss you around a bit, or go and bully Bill Lee.  You know you enjoy that.’

Rodney gave them both a death glare and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

‘Sometimes I wonder how the fuck you put up with him.’  Jack finished his whisky and set the empty glass down on the desk.  ‘And why.’

John closed his eyes, rubbed his face, and took a deep breath.  He was just about to reply when he heard the door between the two offices close quietly.  He opened his eyes and looked around.  He was alone.

*******

For Jack and John, the next couple of days were a nightmare.  They were forced to fly to New York to discuss the missing Stargate with representatives from the IOA who had offices within the United Nations complex in Manhattan.  Several members of the IOA were most unhappy about the loss of the Stargate, despite them having no actual control over the SGC itself, but what they proposed to do about it raised John’s temperature almost to boiling point.

‘Myself, I do not understand why our suggestion displeases you so much,’ the French representative told Richard Holland, behind whom Jack and John were sitting, quietly fuming.  ‘Since it is you who have lost the Stargate, surely it makes sense that the next one is under the control of another nation.  It is obvious your security is far too lax.’

‘And China will ensure we place it under the tightest of control with access limited to only the necessary personnel,’ Shen Xiaoyi, the Chinese representative, murmured.

‘That decision has not yet been made!’  General Chekov banged his hand on the table.

‘And how do you propose finding this new gate?’  Holland asked pleasantly, looking around the table.  The other members of the IOA looked at him uncertainly.  He shrugged his shoulders.  ‘Earth’s gate has been stolen.  Where will you get a new gate from?’

‘There are many unused Stargates in the galaxy.’  Jean LaPierre dismissed his concerns with a wave of his hand.  ‘We select one.  _Ç’est simple_.’

‘And how do you get to a planet to select a Stargate, move it, and, not least, how will you get it back to Earth?’

John exchanged a conspiratorial grin with Jack, and they both made themselves comfortable, happy to let Richard Holland make their case.

There was a short silence, then Xiaoyi spoke up again.

‘I am aware Prometheus has been fitted with Asgard beaming technology.  This will make transporting a Stargate a simple matter.’

John stiffened in his seat and saw Jack do the same.  _How does she know that?  Prometheus has only been back a week or so._ He noticed Holland hadn’t moved a muscle despite knowing as well as John did that such information was a closely guarded secret.

‘And yet Prometheus carries a US flag on her hull,’ Holland commented, almost casually.

‘Are you saying the US Government will refuse to help us in this matter?’

‘Not at all, Ms Xiaoyi.  I’m simply pointing out that Prometheus is a US ship, crewed by US personnel, and paid for by US tax dollars.’

‘But the Stargate which you lost was scavenged by the Russians, I believe.’

‘And your point, madam?’

‘That you owe the Russian Federation a replacement Stargate!’

Richard gave a throaty chuckle.  ‘I’m afraid your intelligence is inaccurate and, in any case, any arrangement or agreement the US might or might not have with the Russians is none of your concern.’

‘And if we make it our concern?’ interjected LaPierre.

Russell Chapman, the British delegate, gave a dry cough.  ‘I wish to make it quite clear that Her Majesty’s Government has no wish to change the current _status quo_.  We are perfectly happy with the American _modus operandi_ and fully recognise their position of _prima inter pares_ with regards to the Stargate Programme.’

Richard Holland hid his smile with his hand while John and Jack had no reason to hide their wide grins.  The IOA current Chairman, Canadian Peter Luce, tapped the table to draw everyone’s attention.

‘This argument is getting us nowhere.  May I suggest that we finish for the day and meet back here tomorrow morning?’

Nods and murmurs of agreement met this motion and Luce got to his feet, prompting a general scraping of chairs and muted chatter.  LaPierre and Xiaoyi headed straight for each other while Holland turned to Jack and John.

‘Let’s get out of here,’ he muttered to them.  ‘I need a drink.’

********

Richard Holland led them to a private lounge in the complex where he had to sign the SGC men in.  It was a comfortable looking room with low, strategically placed lighting, and groups of armchairs.  Each group was positioned so no one at a neighbouring table could overhear them, with several groups already occupied by smartly suited men.  It struck John there were no women present.

‘It’s restricted to senior UN personnel,’ Holland explained as they took their seats at one of the groupings of armchairs.  ‘I get in because I was liaison between the Chiefs and the UN and, on paper at least, still am.  None of the IOA can get in without being invited so they won’t disturb us.’

A white-coated steward took their drink orders and disappeared as quietly as he’d arrived.

‘Still, you won’t mind if I make sure no can…disturb us?’ Jack asked, removing a small egg-shaped device from his pocket which glowed once.  He placed it on the table and grinned at them.  ‘A present from my little grey pal.  He gives the best presents.’

John looked around the room.  ‘It looks just like one of the London clubs my grandfather described to me.’

‘It is based on that model,’ Holland told him.  ‘I’ve had the pleasure of dining a couple of times at the Cavalry Club in London, and the similarity is astounding.  But I didn’t bring you here to talk about clubs.  What’s happening about recovering the Stargate, and do you know who stole it yet?  And why?’

Jack and John exchanged glances.

‘I think we need to bring him in,’ Jack said at last, and John nodded.

‘Bring me in to what?’

‘Our confidence about a situation very few outside of the SGC know about,’ Jack told him.  ‘And I’d like it to stay that way, please.’

‘Do I need to cross my heart or sign a pledge or something?’ Richard asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

‘Nah.  A simple promise will do it, although it is a bit cloak and daggery.’

‘Go on.  I promise not to reveal anything to anyone without your permission.’

Jack waited while the steward brought their drinks, then took a deep breath, all humour gone from his visage.  ‘We suspect a new organisation has been formed, probably from the remnants the NID and Committee.  You know about them, do you?’

‘I’ve read the briefing notes.’

‘Did you know Teal’c was kidnapped?’

‘Yes, but you managed to rescue him, though, didn’t you?’

‘We did, but the group behind the kidnap and blackmailing got away.  Richard Kendrick from the OSI was responsible for that cluster-fuck, but that’s by the by.  Two or three other bits of information have come to light because of all that.  This new group, the Trust, may have links to the Goa’uld.  They asked Danny to translate some Ancient writing into Goa’uld and then used Zats – Zat’nik’tel, a sort of stun gun – on him and McKay, then ringed – or at least we assume they ringed – out of the warehouse.  That makes us think they have a ship, somewhere in orbit.  Two, Ba’al has taken over most of Anubis’ former fleet and holdings, which we know includes Asgard technology, probably including—’

‘Asgard beams,’ Richard finished for him.

‘Yes, and, by the way, we need to have a conversation about what Xiaoyi knows about Prometheus at some point but not right now.  The thing is, if Ba’al has Asgard beaming tech, he wouldn’t simply give it away, and McKay assures us it’s difficult to steal, so if he’s given one of his ships, which has the beaming tech, to the Trust, it’s for a specific reason.’

‘And why, exactly, would he want them to steal a Stargate?’

‘That’s the bit we’re unclear about.  We’ve uncovered a Trust mole in the SGC, though, and I’ve got Paul Davies from the Pentagon going through all our personnel to see if there’re any big changes in their circumstances; he’ll take a look at Area 51 next.  We’ve also got Teal’c meeting with everyone on base to check no one’s been snaked, which is a possibility.’

‘Any idea how far this goes?’

Jack pulled a face.  ‘None, and that’s a worry.  We’ve got the geeks working every angle they can but…’  He shrugged.

‘And if you can’t get the gate back?’

‘We do what Xiaoyi suggested,’ John said, speaking for the first time in a while.  ‘But there’s no way we’d hand it over to another country.’

‘Well, we have the support of the British.’  Richard’s mouth twitched. ‘They recognise our _prima inter pares_ , in fact.’

‘Pretentious twat,’ Jack muttered.  ‘First among equals.  If only some of them would _pare_ our expenditure on the Stargate programme…’

‘You know you wouldn’t give them access even if they did,’ John told him.  ‘You refused to have a Russian on SG-1 and won’t even allow Xiaoyi or her minions inside the Mountain.’

‘That’s beside the point.  We might refuse their money, but they could at least offer.’

John opened his mouth to reply to this when Jack’s cell phone suddenly rang.  He pulled it out.

‘Hey, Danny-boy.  Any news?’  He listened for a moment; his eyes screwed up as he concentrated on whatever Daniel was telling him.  ‘Okay, we’ll do that.’  He glanced at his watch.  ‘It’s 1630 now, so we won’t be with you until about 2300, I think.  Do _not_ do anything ’til we get back.  That’s an order!’  He closed his phone, slipped it into his pocket, and stood up.  ‘Richard, I’m afraid we have to go. Danny and McKay have come across some…lost property and we need to get back.  Unfortunately, because we have to have a fully traceable trip, we need to fly back, but at least we have our own plane and don’t have to fly commercial.’

John shuddered.  ‘Thank fuck for that, and it’s my turn to drive this time!’

‘Keep us posted about tomorrow’s meeting, Richard,’ Jack added.  ‘Hopefully, it’ll all be irrelevant by then, but you never know.’

‘I hope so, and you keep me updated as well.  I’m looking forward to telling Xiaoyi to kiss my ass.’  Richard gave them a mischievous grin.  ‘Come on; I can arrange a car to take you to the airport.’

*******

Just for a change, the meeting took place in Jack’s office.  John squeezed himself into a corner by the bookcase behind the General and faced the row of people in front of the desk with a scowl on his face.

‘Dr Jackson, what was the last thing I said to you on the phone earlier today?’ Jack demanded, his voice colder than John had ever heard it when addressing one of his former team.

Daniel mumbled something.

‘Speak up!’

‘You told me not to do anything until you got back.’

‘And what else?’

‘That it was an order, but, Jack—’

‘Daniel, I’m aware you are a civilian, but while you work on this base you are under my command!’  Jack’s voice rose with each word uttered, and Daniel flinched away as though to escape the words.

‘I’m sorry, Jack, but we got the Stargate back so—’

‘We could have replaced the Stargate with another one.  We _can’t_ replace human lives.  As it is, Quinn is in the infirmary along with two of the Marines you took with you.’

‘But—’

‘Silence!’  The word and volume shocked everyone in the room, John included, and he watched as Jack scrubbed his face with his hands.  ‘Major Lorne.’

Jack spoke at a normal level, but anger tinged his tone along with tiredness and…something else, John thought.  Sorrow?  Regret?

Lorne came even more to attention if that were possible.

‘I understand you led this little mutiny?’

‘I…Yes, sir.’

‘But I also understand it was much against your will and that you only agreed because Dr Jackson and Dr McKay were determined to go to the facility Dr Kusanagi had identified as containing the Stargate if you didn’t?’

‘I…’

‘I’ll take that as ‘yes, sir,’ shall I?’  Jack watched him in silence for a long minute.  ‘You can go for the moment, Major, but we shall have words later on today.  Dismissed!’

Lorne flung a salute so sharp John worried he’d cut himself, about turned, and left the room at a quick-march.

‘Teal’c?’  Jack turned to his old friend.  ‘My guess is you went along with this ridiculous plan for the same reason?’

The tall Jaffa raised one eyebrow.   ‘I fear I am unable to answer that question in order to avoid incriminating myself, O’Neill.’

John covered his mouth with his hand to hide the smile he couldn’t help and decided Teal’c had been fully prepared by the other two miscreants, chiefly Daniel Jackson.

‘Ah, I think that only applies to US citizens, T,’ Jack told him, the outright anger now absent.  ‘You can go, as well.’

Teal’c eyed him for a moment then inclined his head and turned away.  From his position, John could see the almost rueful look he gave the two remaining offenders before he, too, left the room.

Jack sank into his chair and heaved a great sigh.  ‘I don’t know what to do with the pair of you.  I can’t fire you since you’re both crucial to the programme although, I suppose I could send you both to Area 51.’

The threat made McKay blanch in a way O’Neill’s anger hadn’t, and he opened his mouth to speak before closing it again as the General continued.

‘What makes me so angry, though, is that you dragged Lorne into your escapade and caused him to violate my direct orders.  That’s a court-martial offence.  Between you, you may have destroyed the career of a damn fine officer, even supposing he stays out of Fort Leavenworth.’

‘Jack!’ Daniel burst out.  ‘You can’t court-martial him!’

‘Daniel, I may not have any choice!’  Jack scrubbed his face again.  ‘The minute you lied to Colonel Pendergast and told him you had my permission to beam the four of you and a bunch of Marines to LA, you condemned Evan Lorne, because he didn’t inform a senior officer of the deception.  Pendergast is hopping mad and is demanding Lorne’s head on a plate since he was, ostensibly, in charge.  It’s out of my hands.’

‘But…we didn’t mean to—’

‘It doesn’t matter if you meant to or not!’  The volume of Jack’s voice increased again.  ‘There are consequences for all your actions, Daniel, and, unfortunately, Major Lorne is the one who’s going to have to pay the price for this one.’

‘But you’ve disobeyed orders hundreds of times!’

‘And each time I did I knew there were possible consequences.  The difference is that _I_ decided to disobey.  Lorne didn’t have a choice.  He was screwed from the moment you and McKay made your little plans.  If he’d told you he wouldn’t go with you, the chances are high you’d’ve found a way of going on your own, and got yourselves killed, and he couldn’t allow that.  He _had_ to go along with you, all the while knowing the probable consequences.’

‘He didn’t say anything about it to us,’ Rodney muttered, speaking for the first time.

Jack slapped his hand on the desk.  ‘Really? That’s your justification for getting Lorne court-martialed?  ‘He didn’t say anything’?’

‘No!  That’s not what I meant!’

John realised Rodney was close to tears but couldn’t, no, _wouldn’t,_ say anything to comfort him.  He, too, needed to learn that actions have consequences.

Jack shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  ‘Get out.  Get out, the pair of you.’

Daniel opened his mouth to argue again, but Rodney grabbed his arm and dragged him through the door.  John left his spot by the bookcase and settled in the chair in front of the desk while Jack banged his head on its surface.

‘Don’t do that,’ John told him, mildly.  ‘You’ll make a dent in it.’

Jack gave him a wan smile.  ‘It feels good when I stop, though.’

A bark of laughter erupted from John before he could stop it, but he quickly sobered.  ‘What are we going to do about Lorne?’

‘I don’t know.  I wasn’t joking when I said Pendergast is baying for blood.’

‘Colonel Ronson wouldn’t have demanded you court-martial him.’

‘Colonel Ronson is no longer the commander of Prometheus.’  Jack heaved another sigh.  ‘I take your point, though.  Pendergast is a very by-the-book commander.  Much like Marshall Sumner.’

‘The Colonel who led the military side of the expedition?’

‘Yeah.  Don’t get me wrong; they’re both fine men and damn fine soldiers.  They’re just…not as flexible as you sometimes need to be in this programme.’

‘Maybe if Pendergast knew the reasons behind Lorne’s actions?  If he apologises?’

‘Maybe.  I’ll have a word with Pender tomorrow.  Today. It’s almost 0200.  I need to get some sleep and so do you.  It’s been a long day.’

‘And tomorrow will no doubt be equally long.’

 

##  **Chapter Seven**

In the days following the unauthorised mission to rescue the Stargate from a warehouse in Los Angeles, tension and emotions ran high in the SGC.  Jack and the President combined managed to talk Pendergast out of convening a court-martial for Lorne but were unable to sway him from insisting on a reprimand being put on his record.  As Pendergast pointed out, junior officers could not be permitted to lie to a senior officer without there being some consequence.  It would mean Lorne’s next promotion board, due in two years, would be put back to five years, at minimum.

‘I can’t do anything more about it,’ Jack confessed over a beer in John’s quarters a few days after the Stargate was returned to the SGC.   ‘I spoke to both George Hammond and Richard Holland about it, and they both agreed it’s unfair, but by that point, the President had been brought in and…’  His voice trailed off.

‘Lorne understands there’s nothing you can do,’ John said in a quiet voice, aware how much Jack regretted the actions he’d been forced to take.  ‘He also  told me, strictly off the record, that he’d do the same thing again if the situation arose, although I told him to keep that thought to himself.’

‘Christ, yes!  Pendergast wasn’t at all happy the President refused a court-martial after I explained Lorne is a damn good officer _and_ has the ATA gene, quite apart from trying to protect Danny and McKay.  He’s refused to have him on board Prometheus again without a more senior officer with him.  His prerogative, but it’s likely to make things difficult for us all in a crisis.  Danny still doesn’t understand what was so wrong about what he and McKay did, and why I can’t just brush it under the carpet.’

‘Rodney understands alright, I made sure of that.’

Jack gave a snort of laughter; the first John had heard from him in several days.  ‘I thought he looked a little subdued.’

‘He’ll get over it, but he won’t forget in a hurry.  In any case, I’ve managed to get clearance for his chum Radek Zelenka to join the SGC.  He’ll be too busy filling him in with what’s happening here to worry about anything else.’

‘I thought Zelenka was overseeing the work on the Daedalus?’

‘He was, but his work on it is pretty much finished now.  He’s a mechanical engineer, strictly speaking, although he has several other degrees as well. Most of our scientists do.  Now the Daedalus has entered the testing phase he’s not required anywhere near as much, and when he is, he can be beamed from the Mountain just as easily as he can from Area 51.’

‘Fair enough.’  Jack took another swig of his beer.  ‘What else have I missed while I’ve been away fighting for Lorne’s career?’

‘Well, we still don’t know why the Stargate was stolen,’ John offered.  ‘Although you missed a treat when several of the IOA descended on us uninvited.’

Jack grinned at him.  ‘I heard a little about it from Richard Holland, but he didn’t have time to tell me the whole story.’

‘Shen Xiaoyi, Jean LaPierre, and Peter Luce turned up on the doorstep two days after we got the Stargate back, but it was pretty clear that Peter Luce didn’t want to be here.  Xiaoyi and LaPierre didn’t believe we’d recovered the gate and demanded access to the Mountain to see it for themselves.  The SFs on the main gate did exactly what they should have done and refused to allow any of them even into the compound without my permission so while I made my way up to the surface, our uninvited guests were forced to wait on the roadside.  They’d taken a cab from the airport, presumably not to tip us off they were coming, but the cab driver took one look at the SFs and made the IOA people get out so he could leave.  They were furious but couldn’t do anything about it.  Xiaoyi was apoplectic with rage at the SFs and kept asking if they knew who she was, but, of course, the SFs hadn’t a clue anything other than her trying to gain unauthorised entry through the gate they were guarding.  By the time I got there, they’d called in reinforcements and six burly Marines had their weapons trained on the three of them.’

John paused and finished the last of his beer, and held the bottle up to his friend.  ‘Want another?’  Jack nodded and John went to his tiny fridge to retrieve a couple more, flicked off the tops and passed one over.  Once he had resettled himself on the bed – Jack was in the only armchair in the room – he took another sip and sighed in pleasure.  ‘Long story cut short, I allowed them into the waiting room on level 1, mainly because Peter Luce was beginning to suffer from the heat.  He’s no spring chicken and waiting over half an hour in the blazing sun had done a number on him, so much so that I called for Doc Fraiser to come and check him out.  He just needed a sit-down and some fluids, but by the time Fraiser had finished with him, Xiaoyi was pretty much climbing the walls and LaPierre not far behind her.

‘They demanded access to the embarkation room, again, to see for themselves if the Stargate was there, but _that_ was never going to happen, not without your say so, and she demanded I get you on the phone.  I told her you were with the President and couldn’t be disturbed, and she wanted to know _why_ you were with the President, then accused me of lying to them.  Peter Luce was pretty much recovered by this point, and he obviously realised she’d crossed a line, and tried to rein her in but she completely lost it and started ranting about conspiracies and cover-ups.  Then she threatened to tell President Jintao to call President Hayes and have him order us to allow her access to the whole of the base whenever she wanted, and, finally, to turn over the Stargate to the Chinese.’

‘She’d decided we had got it back, then?’

‘To be honest, she was ranting so much it was difficult to work out just what she did believe, and LaPierre had backed so far away from her, presumably to dissociate himself from her, that he’d crammed himself into a corner of the waiting room with the table between them.  It was clear he wanted nothing more than to get away from both the Mountain and her.  The door then opened, and Richard Holland strolled in.  Apparently, Lorne had called him as soon as I left my office, and he’d beamed over from New York.  Neither Xiaoyi nor LaPierre had told him they were coming to the Mountain which protocols said they should, and, furthermore, they’d told Luce they had Richard’s permission.

‘It sort of went to pieces from there as Richard had taken the time to speak to both the French and Chinese Ambassadors to the UN, and they were furious the pair had gone behind their backs; you know how jealously they all guard their authority.  The upshot is that both LaPierre and Xiaoyi have been replaced on the IOA by their respective countries, and while Peter Luce remains the rep for Canada, he’s been forced to step down from the Chairmanship which goes to Russell Chapman.’

‘And do we know who the new reps will be?’

‘Not as yet, so we don’t know if it’ll be a blessing or a curse for us.  Richard Holland went out on a limb and made it clear to the Chinese Ambassador that he expects to be kept in the picture regarding what happens to Xiaoyi.  We might not like her, but none of us wishes her to just disappear like so many in China, and Russia, for that matter, seem to do.’

‘Good for him, although I do wish I’d been there to see her when she lost it.’  Jack picked at the label on his bottle and shot John a grin.  ‘You can’t buy entertainment like that.’

‘In which case, I have some good news for you.’  John reached into his bedside drawer, retrieved a memory stick and handed it over, smirking all the while.  ‘Rodney copied the security footage from the waiting room for you.  Richard has a copy and has promised to show it to the President.’

‘Excellent.  Anything else?’

John thought for a moment.  ‘Prometheus is about to leave on a mission to pick up a couple of unused Stargates, as we discussed.’

‘And the DHDs?’

‘And the DHDs.  Rodney’s keen to install one in our control room in place of the dialling computer, as it’ll then override any other DHD that might be brought to Earth since we have the oldest Stargate, at least, as far as we know.’

Jack nodded.  ‘Good idea. I’m pretty sure China will do its damnedest to get their hands on a Stargate as soon as possible.’

‘That’s what we thought.  Rodney also wants to be able to study the power source in a DHD as he says he has a couple of ideas but wants to discuss it with Zelenka.  Oh, and he’s come up with a storage method for Operation WITSLLEN.’

‘Really?  He said he was working on something a while ago.  Do you know what it is?’

‘Not yet, but I think the business with Lorne has focussed his mind a bit as he’s been concentrating on _actual_ science, as he calls it, rather than firefighting urgent problems.  Having Zelenka to bounce ideas off has proved very fruitful.  The pair of them with Miko are almost unstoppable.’

‘Good to hear.  It’s a pity Daniel hasn’t taken a leaf out of their book.’

John tipped his head to one side and watched his friend.  ‘He’s still not talking to you?’

‘The bare minimum.’

‘But what happened isn’t your fault.  He and McKay are the ones to blame.’

‘Try telling Daniel that.  He still thinks I should have prevented Pendergast from punishing Lorne.’  Jack held up his hands to stop John from replying.  ‘I know, I know.  The trouble is, Danny’s a civilian and has never understood the military mindset.  Never _wanted_ to understand it, and that’s partially my fault as both Carter and I, and George Hammond to some extent, cushioned him from much of what happens here.  The military side of it, at least.  Daniel saw me get away with pretty much everything, up to and including ignoring direct orders, and he can’t understand why I can’t do the same for Lorne.’

‘Want me to have a word with him?’ John asked, a grim look on his face.  ‘I made McKay understand.’

‘Yeah, but then you’re sleeping with McKay.  Might not have the same effect on Daniel.’

‘Fair point.  Should I set McKay on him, then?’

Jack considered this suggestion.  ‘That might work.  Especially as Daniel respects McKay on a professional level.’

‘I’ll speak to him tomorrow.  And now it’s time for all good Generals to be tucked up in bed.’  John glanced at his watch.  ‘Especially as I’m due to dig McKay out from his lab in a few minutes.’

Jack got to his feet and stretched.  ‘I’ll say goodnight then.’

John grinned at him and followed him out of the door.  ‘We need to fix you up with someone.’

His comment made Jack turn around so fast he almost fell over.

‘I’m perfectly capable of finding my own companions, thank you very much.  Buzz off and concentrate on your own love life.’

‘Sir, yes, sir!’

*******

Several days of relative peace passed although SG-7 came back from a planet formerly under the control of the System Lord, Morrigan, to report that Ba’al was consolidating his power over the Milky Way and had recently managed to take over the planet Tartarus, where Anubis had centred his creation of Kull warriors.  Teal’c, Bra’tac, Carter, and Jacob Carter had done their best the previous year to stall Anubis’ production of new Kull Warriors by killing the Goa’uld Queen spawning the symbiotes he used to control them, but they’d seen the thousands of Warriors he’d already created and could nothing about them.  To now discover they were under the control of Ba’al made Jack’s blood run cold.

‘Jacob Carter said there were enough Kull Warriors there to take over the entire galaxy,’ he told John after SG-7 had left the briefing room, scrubbing his hands over his face.

‘But I thought I read that Carter and her father had managed to create a weapon to use against them?’

‘They did.  It fits on the barrel of a gun or can be used by hand if necessary, but we’ve barely enough for ourselves without having to distribute them around the galaxy.  Christ!  What a mess.’

‘We’ve enough to devices to issue to all the teams going off-world, though?’

‘Yes, that’s no problem, but we’re going to have to see about producing some more we can offer to our allies, at least.  Can you imagine the damage a Kull Warrior could do on Cimmeria, for instance?’

John grinned at him.  ‘I should think Gairwyn would put up a pretty good fight even against a Kull.’

Jack laughed, remembering when he’d taken John and introduced him personally to one of his favourite planets in the galaxy.  ‘I don’t disagree.’  He sobered pretty quickly, however.  ‘It makes me wonder what else Ba’al has managed to get his hands on and how he’s going to use it.  None of the Goa’uld would be my choice of a guest at a dinner party, but Ba’al terrifies me.  He’s…’  Jack paused, searching for the right word.

‘Far too human for comfort?’

Jack pointed a finger at John.  ‘That. Exactly.  He’s a megalomaniac Goa’uld with the guile of a human.  It’s a frightening combination.’

‘I can’t disagree.  Changing the subject a little, I’ve been asked by several of the scientists when they can go home again and resume their normal lives.  I said I’d speak to you about it but nothing’s changed since Teal’c was kidnapped, has it?’

‘If you mean are our people still in danger, then, yes, they are.  We’re no closer to discovering why the Stargate was stolen although Barrett has a couple of leads on industrialists he thinks might be members of the Trust.  I asked your aide to pencil in a meeting between you and I later today to discuss it, but we can do it now if you’re free.’

John was silent for a moment.  ‘I have a briefing with SG-4 at 1300 hours.  They’re meeting with the Hak’tyl Resistance to discuss Tretonin production so Fraiser and Teal’c are going with them.  Teal’c’s hoping to persuade them to join the Jaffa Rebellion and not just keep striking out on their own, so Bra’tac’s also going.’

Jack nodded and flicked through one of the folders he’d taken to the debriefing.  He pulled out a sheet of closely typed paper and handed it to John.  ‘Barrett sent me this hidden in an envelope of other papers.  Have a read.’

John took it from him, surprise evident on his face, and spent a few minutes reading through it.  When he got to the end, he read it through again.  Finally, he looked up and met Jack’s eyes.  ‘I…I’m not sure what you want me to say.  As far as I was concerned my father cut me off when I was 18 and I’ve had no contact with either him or my brother since.  I certainly don’t get any money from Sheppard Industries, unless it’s being paid into an account I know nothing about.’

‘That’s what I told Barrett, although, as he pointed out, the company accounts tell a different story.’

‘Is SI one of the companies Barrett believes is involved with the Trust?  Does he suspect _me_ of being a Trust agent?’

Jack gave him a grim smile.  ‘As far as I can tell, the alphabet agencies suspect _everyone_ is guilty of something unless proved otherwise.  Barrett is a little more level-headed than most, though, and he made no accusations against you; he simply sent me a copy of the SI accounts to peruse.’

‘Do you suspect me, General O’Neill?’

Jack reared back in shock.  ‘Jesus, John!  _No_!  Absolutely not!  I didn’t mean to make any such suggestion.  Barrett thinks your father and brother may be peripherally connected with the Trust and he’s concerned that if his investigations unearth anything further, it might implicate you.  This report was just information to prepare you…us…for any accusations which might be made in the future. _I_ have complete faith in you, as does George Hammond who also got a copy of this.’

‘So what do you suggest I do?’

‘Speak to your father,’ Jack said promptly.  ‘He’s the only one who can explain why you appear to be a director of SI _and_ hold 24% of SI’s stock without your knowledge.  They must have required your signature at some point over the last sixteen years, and it’ll be interesting to see how they managed _that_.  The other thing that comes to mind is the IRS.  I don’t understand why they haven’t been beating your door down if you owe them any money, but they haven’t.  Your own financial guy can probably tell you more about that.  It all starts and ends with your father, though.  Speak to him and see what the hell’s happened.’  He sat back in his chair and regarded his subordinate.  Something was tickling at the edge of his mind that wouldn’t show itself as yet.  Maybe some pie would help.  ‘Wanna grab a bite from the mess?  If we go now, we’ll miss the main lunch crowd, especially if you’ve got a briefing at 1300.’

********

‘I’d like to speak to Patrick Sheppard.’

_‘Who’s calling?’_

‘His son.’

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, a couple of clicks, and a familiar voice.  ‘ _John_?’

‘David?  I asked to speak to Dad.’

_‘Dad’s not here.  I run the day to day business of SI now.  What do you want?’_

John looked at the phone even as a voice in the back of his head told him he’d never be able to see his brother down a telephone line.  He’d half expected his father to refuse to take his call, but he’d never considered his brother might come on the line.

_‘John?  Are you still there?  What do you want?’_

‘I…I just wanted to speak to Dad…about…about a couple of things.’

 _‘Why_?’

The direct question threw him.  ‘I…something’s just come to light I wanted to discuss with him.’

 _‘What sort of something_?’

John rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to decide how to word his questions, and Jack appeared in the doorway between their offices still seated in his chair, his raised eyebrows asking the question for him.  ‘Just…company stuff.  SI stuff.’  He flicked the conference call switch so Jack could hear David’s response.

_‘What SI stuff?  I can probably answer your questions better than Dad can as I run SI now.’_

‘Doesn’t Dad have any involvement in it?’

 _‘Very little.  He’s too busy with his new wife_.’

‘What?  What new wife?  When did this happen?  Why didn’t anyone tell me?’

 _‘You cut yourself off from us, remember?  Why should you care about what either Dad or I do?  It’s got nothing to do with you_.’

‘I…David, look, I know we haven’t spoken for years but…  When did Dad remarry?  _Who_ has he married?’

 _‘Someone he loves and cares about.’_   The ‘more than you’ was apparent in David’s tone.

‘Is…Does he still live at home?’  Even as he asked the question, John realised how ridiculous it sounded.

 _I suppose you mean the same home.  Yes, they do, but I doubt he wants to hear from you any more than I do.  If you’ve not got anything better to do than ask fatuous questions, I do.  Goodbye_.  There was a click, and then the hum of the dialling tone.

John sat for a moment, silent with shock.  Jack remained in the doorway, waiting for John to speak, although his face offered a sympathetic, rueful smile.

‘I…huh.  That’s…not what I expected,’ John eventually said.

‘Is it worth calling your father at home?’

‘I…I suppose so.’

John made no attempt to dial a number, however, and Jack eventually wheeled himself back into his own office leaving John to his confused thoughts.

********

Barely fifteen minutes later Rodney appeared in the doorway.

‘Come on, I’ve had enough for the day and I’m sure you have too.  Let’s go out for a meal.  I want a nice large steak with a huge pile of fries.’

John looked up from whatever he’d been doing which, Rodney decided, hadn’t been much.  Most unusually, papers and open files were scattered across John desk rather than the usual military precision of neat piles and no clutter.  ‘We’re still restricting people from going off-base, remember?’

Rodney dismissed this with a wave of his hand.  ‘Then take a weapon with you; you usually do, anyway.  Take a couple of Marines to stand outside O’Malley’s if you must, but I want to see the sky again.’

‘You saw sky yesterday.’

‘I want to see Earth sky, not on some planet millions of light years away.  Chop chop.’

‘Did Jack put you up to this?’

‘What?  You think I have to be ordered to want to eat a thick juicy steak instead of the swill in the mess?’

‘Rodney, you _like_ the food in the mess.’

John’s voice carried a hint of humour in it, a far cry from his usual _bonhomie_ , but enough to satisfy Rodney that he’d chosen the right approach.  ‘Okay, I’ll give you that, but I also like steak and, right now, I want a steak cooked to my order, a pile of crispy fries, and a glass of good red wine, none of which I can get in the mess.’

Finally, John nodded his agreement and clicked his radio to request a driver.  ‘I want a glass of wine as well.  A large glass.  Should we ask Jack to join us?’

‘Nah.  You kids go and enjoy yourselves,’ Jack told him from the other doorway.  ‘I need to make Danny stop his sulking, anyway, and that’s going to be no fun.’

‘He’s still mad at you about Lorne, then?’ Rodney asked, throwing a glance at John.  ‘I tried to tell him _we_ were entirely to blame but he insists you could have done something if you’d wanted.  He hates being in the wrong.’

‘And you never do, do you?’ John asked, a smile now hovering on his lips.

Rodney flushed and looked down.  ‘I’ve learned my lesson over Lorne _and_ I’ve apologised to him.  It won’t happen again.’

‘I’m sorry; I shouldn’t tease you.’  John locked his drawers and pocketed the key.  ‘I know it won’t happen again.  Come on.  Rogers will be waiting in the car.  Sure you won’t come, Jack?’

‘Certain sure, thanks.  I may follow your lead when I discuss the situation with Danny, though.’

John grinned while Rodney pulled him out of the office, his ears crimson.  ‘What did you tell him?’ he demanded in a low voice.

‘Nothing, you’re fine.’

‘It’d better be nothing.  Some things should stay private between couples, you know.’  Despite his words, Rodney was pleased to see John already looked brighter than he had.  An evening out of the Mountain would do them both good even though they were limited in what they could talk about in public.  Perhaps an evening of neutral topics would also be beneficial.

********

By the time they returned to the Mountain, John was feeling much better about the situation with his family.  He’d been able to discuss his earlier telephone conversation with Rodney and talk about why he was so hurt his father had failed to tell him he’d remarried.

‘Families are the very devil,’ Rodney told him, taking a sip of his wine.  ‘We’re both better off without them.’

‘I can’t disagree.  Why should I be so upset with the fact he’s remarried, though?  I’ve not even thought about them for years but as soon as I get proof they’ve not thought about me either I’m upset.’

‘Are you upset that your father’s remarried, or that he didn’t tell you?’

John thought about this.  ‘I…I think I’m upset he’s remarried, although I know I shouldn’t be.  Mom’s been dead for over twenty years and I’m pretty sure she’d have told him to be happy if he could.  If Mom wouldn’t object, why should I?’

‘I’m afraid I can’t answer that.’  Rodney did sound regretful.  ‘My parents only hated me marginally less than each other.  I know very little about how a proper family acts and feels.’

‘So we’re both family-less, then?’

‘I suspect quite a few people in the Programme are.  O’Neill and Jackson have no family to speak of, and I know almost all of the people who went to At…the other place, have no family back here.  No one to ask awkward questions if they don’t come back.’

‘I thought Carter had family here?’

‘She has a brother she rarely had any contact with, and her father was host to one of the friendly snakes until he passed away last year.  That, ostensibly, was the reason she joined the Expedition.’

‘Ostensibly?’

Rodney sighed.  ‘When I first joined the Programme, I was head over heels in lust with Sam Carter, but she had no time for me at all.  It quickly became clear, to me at least, that she was in love with O’Neill, but he never saw her as anything other than a teammate.  Sometime last year something happened when Prometheus was on a shakedown flight although it was never clear what, but afterwards, Sam began acting differently, especially towards O’Neill.  It was as though she’d suddenly realised that she had no chance at a relationship with him and it… _freed_ her somehow.  I can’t quite explain it.  When Weir began to plan the Expedition, and I’d turned her down flat, Sam requested the post of CSO.  Weir was over the moon as she’d much rather have Carter than me; she just didn’t think Sam would agree to go.’  He smiled at John and shrugged his shoulders.  ‘ _Voila_.  She’s there, and I’m here.’

‘And I’m delighted you are,’ John told him with a soft smile, and for the rest of their meal the conversation continued on similar light topics.

It wasn’t until they were cuddled together in bed after some of the best sex John could remember that he revisited the subject of his family.

‘I still need to find out why I’m listed as a director and shareholder of SI.  I think it’s probably best if I pay my father a visit rather than phone him.’

Rodney lifted his head from John’s shoulder and twisted himself to look up at him.  ‘I thought you didn’t want to see him.’

‘I don’t, particularly.  He’s never wanted any contact with me any more than I have with him.’

‘Why do you want to see him now, then?’

‘Because…’  John thought for a moment then continued.  ‘Something doesn’t feel right. I can’t explain what, it’s just a feeling I have that something’s not quite right.  I want to go and see him at a time when I know Dave will be at his office.’

‘Does Dave still live with your father?’

‘I don’t know.  I just…I’d rather be sure Dad will be alone.’

‘Apart from his new wife.’

‘Well, I suppose so, although for all I know she might work as well.’

‘She might.’  Rodney’s tone expressed how likely he thought that might be.  ‘Will you take Jack with you?’

John peered down at him.  ‘Why?’

‘Because I have a feeling that something’s not quite right, too.  Take Jack with you.  Better still, take Stackhouse and Markham with you as well.  I can trust them with you.’

‘Rodney, I’m going to see my father.  Nothing’s going to happen to me.’

‘Your father who you haven’t seen for sixteen years.  Take Jack, Stackhouse and Markham, please?’

‘I’m pretty sure Jack’ll say he’s got better things to do than hold my hand while I visit my father.’

********

Surprisingly, Jack agreed with Rodney’s suggestions.

‘Barrett has suggested SI is linked to the Trust somehow, although he couldn’t say how other than your brother has been seen with other suspected Trust people once or twice.  I’d rather be safe than sorry, though, so I agree with McKay.  Prometheus can beam all four of us down to somewhere close to your father’s house in Virginia.

‘You don’t think it’s a waste of your time?’

‘I’m certain it’s not a waste of anyone’s time.  You need to find out why you’re listed as a Director of SI, and I want to find out if there’s any truth to Barrett’s concerns.’

Accordingly, two days later saw John standing outside his childhood home, a mixture of emotions churning in his stomach.  Little had changed in the sixteen years since he’d last been here, but he noticed his mother’s rose garden in the centre of the horseshoe drive had been replaced with a stone fountain which didn’t match the red brick of the house.

_I suppose rose bushes don’t last forever._

It bothered him, though, that the flower beds where his mother had spent hours pruning and clipping and generally making sure the roses were healthy, had now been covered in concrete.

Once he turned his back on the fountain and faced the house, however, he half expected Isabel Sheppard to come running down the steps to greet him, so little had changed, except…  The house seemed smaller, less significant than in his childhood, almost as though it had shrunk.  _Or I’ve grown bigger, maybe?_

The double doors to the entrance hall opened and a tall, burly man in jeans and t-shirt with tattoos on both arms appeared.

‘You’re trespassing, all of you.  Fuck off, or I’ll set the dogs on you.’

John caught sight of Jack’s eyebrows disappearing into his hairline and felt his own mirror them.

‘I’m here to see Patrick Sheppard—’ John began.

‘Well, he doesn’t want to see you, now fuck off.’

‘Perhaps you should ask him if he wants to see me.’

‘He won’t, and if you’re not off this property in ten seconds, I’ll set the dogs loose.’

‘Can you actually count up to ten?’ Jack asked, tipping his head to one side and studying the rude doorman.

‘Why, you…’  Rude Doorman clenched his fists and stepped onto the covered porch, but John held up his hand to stop him moving any closer.

‘It might have helped your case if you’d asked who I was.’

‘I don’t care who—’

‘I’m Colonel John Sheppard, Patrick’s younger son.  Now go and tell my father I’m here to see him.’

John had little use for the ‘command voice’ so beloved of some of his former COs, but in this case, he used it to good effect and Rude Doorman halted and looked John over.  John had decided to make the trip in civvies and his companions had done likewise but even the slacks, button-down shirts, and loose jackets they wore couldn’t disguise the fact that all four were fit and capable men, particularly in the case of Stackhouse and Markham, both of whom bore Marine buzz-cuts and a fuck-ton of attitude.

‘Mr Sheppard only has one son.’

‘Is that what Mr Sheppard told you?’

A hint of confusion flickered across RD’s face, and John made the most of it.

‘Go and fetch him.  Now!’

RD turned around and went back into the house almost before he realised what he was doing and John and Jack followed on his heels.  All four SGC men were inside the grand hall with the door closed behind them before RD had time to speak. Jack looked around and whistled.

‘Nice pad.’

John glanced at him and led the way to a passageway running away from the grand double staircase in the middle of the foyer.  ‘My father’s study is down here.  That’s where he’ll probably be.  Come on.’

RD made a move as if to stop John from moving but Stackhouse stepped forward and allowed his jacket to swing open revealing his double gun holster.

‘Let’s allow the Colonel to see his father, shall we?’  Stackhouse’s grin was all teeth as he continued to move forward until he had RD backed against one of the panelled walls.

John nodded to him and led Jack down a deeply carpeted passage with several closed doors leading off from it.  The art on the walls was a mixture of modern and classical scenes, and tables at regular intervals held a range of china and crystal.  John stopped in front of a door much like the others they’d passed except this one was slightly open. He tapped on the door, called out for his father, then pushed it open.  They entered a large room filled with light from the double windows opening onto a terrace, and lined with books.  It was a very masculine room and, for John, hadn’t changed at all, even down to the scent of leather from the furniture and a lingering hint of woodsmoke from the open fire used only in the cold winters experienced in Virginia.

A man was sitting behind the large desk in front of the windows, facing the door, and he raised his head as the two men entered.  His grey hair was longer than John remembered it being and was as unkempt as his unshaven face, and his entire aura spoke of lack of care – from the stains on his open-necked shirt to the broken fingernails on the hand resting on the empty desktop.  It was that which brought John up short.  Never in his entire childhood had he seen his father’s desk be clear of anything, from pens, and letters, and files, to photographs and the silly executive toys his mother had bought for his father every Christmas that John could remember.  They were Isabel’s way of telling her husband not to take himself so seriously and to allow time for a little fun and laughter every day.  Even after her death, the toys had remained, alongside multiple framed photographs of the whole family, together and apart, with the centre place reserved for a black and white studio photograph of a newly-wed Isabel.  Now the files, papers, toys, and photographs were all absent.  Not even a pen lay on the leathered surface, nothing except dust and memories.

Patrick Sheppard narrowed his eyes as though trying to focus them and reached out an arm towards John as if to reach out to him.  ‘Johnny?  John?  Is it really you?  They told me you were dead.’

 

##  **Chapter Eight**

Jack took in the situation far quicker than John and while his XO was still staring open-mouthed at his father Jack clicked his radio to connect him to Prometheus.

‘Can you check how many life signs there are in and around the house?’  _Thank God for the Asgard sensors_.

 _‘I’ve got three signs in the room you’re in, three close together about a hundred yards from you, two of which have subcus, sir,’_ Major Womack returned.

‘Tell me if anyone else appears in or close to the house.’

_‘Roger that, sir.’_

Jack clicked his radio again to the channel he, John, and the two Marines were using.  ‘Markham, we’ve found Mr Sheppard but he’s in a bad way.  Can you go upstairs and try and find his bedroom and grab whatever of his belongings you can carry.  Stackhouse, Zat your bully boy and tie him up, then hide him away somewhere.  We’re going to get Mr Sheppard out of here.’

 _‘Roger that, General_ ,’ came from both Marines, and through the radio link Jack could hear the Zat Stackhouse was carrying charge up and fire once.  Both Markham and Stackhouse left their comms open while they hurried to do his bidding and Jack nodded to himself.  They were fine men to have at your back.  He focussed back on John who had moved to his father’s side and was stroking his hand.

‘Don’t worry, Dad; we’re going to get you out of here.’

Patrick smiled at him but it was clear he wasn’t tracking what John was saying.  John turned to look at Jack, a puzzled frown on his face.

‘Has he been drugged?’

‘I…Oh crap!’  Jack clicked his radio again.  ‘Womack?  Beam up Colonel Sheppard and the life-sign he’s standing next to in one minute.  Take them straight to the medical bay and tell Kirkland to explain Nish’ta to them.  N-I-S-H-T-A.’

 _‘Roger, sir’_ Womack replied, but Jack was no longer listening.

‘It’s highly likely they’ve dosed your father with a Goa’uld drug called Nish’ta,’ Jack explained, speaking quickly.  ‘Probably pumped through the air conditioning.  I’m immune to it but you, Stackhouse and Markham aren’t.  I can’t risk that it’s being pumped around the house and not just in here, so you’ll all be beamed up to Prometheus any moment now.’  He paused for a moment and looked around, then shrugged his shoulders.  ‘Now?’

No sooner had he said the words than John and his father disappeared in a beam of light.  Jack sighed and repeated the same thing to the two Marines, then called Womack to beam them up.  ‘And keep an eye on the house.  I don’t want anyone disturbing me while I rummage around.’

_‘Packages received, General O’Neill.’_

‘Right.  Now, did Markham have you beam any belongings up?’

_‘I heard him say he said he was packing a suitcase, but he hadn’t finished before—’_

‘Okay, Womack.  I’ll finish it.  Be ready for my call and keep a watch out for me.’

_‘Roger that, sir.’_

Jack pulled out all the drawers in the desk, but they were empty.  He regarded the desk for a moment then felt underneath the leg well, shifting his fingers around until he found a little knob.  He pressed it but it didn’t move, so he tried pulling, then pushing it from side to side.

‘Bingo,’ he murmured as a panel on the left side of the wall opened.  It wasn’t a large hideyhole but he grabbed the papers it contained and the three memory sticks which fell to the floor as he pulled them out.  He picked them up and slipped them into his pocket and felt for anything else, but it was now empty.  He got to his feet and looked around the walls.  One of the bookcases was just a half case over a double cupboard which turned out to be full of desk toys and photograph frames.  He grabbed them all, piled them into a holdall he found on the bottom shelf and clicked his radio.  ‘Beam up the bag filled with metal items in the middle of the floor.’

He watched it disappear and retraced his steps back to the entrance hall.  He opened a couple of the doors on his way and found three reception rooms and a cloakroom containing the zip tied, lifeless man who’d greeted them to the house.  He checked the ties to make sure they weren’t going to come undone and then ran lightly up the stairs.

He saw a pair of open double doors when he got to the landing and guessed that was where Markham had been, the half-filled suitcase on the bed confirmed his suspicions.  Jack looked curiously around the room, noting it was, again, a very masculine room, and he wondered where the new wife slept.  Markham had begun with packing a selection of suits and shirts, but Jack tipped them out onto the bed and refilled it with casual clothes and the essentials – underpants and socks.  He added several sweaters and all the shoes he could find then disappeared into the bathroom to collect Patrick’s toiletries.  Once he’d packed, he had the suitcase beamed aboard Prometheus and stood, looking around the bedroom.

He pulled a smaller suitcase from the walk-in wardrobe and tipped the contents of each bedside table into it, and then swept everything from the tops of them.  He added the few items on the dressing table and checked all the drawers again, then felt for any hidden catches. Once again he was lucky, and this time he uncovered a large jewellery box.  It was locked but would yield quite easily to a chisel if they didn’t have a key, and he added it to the suitcase and had that beamed away.

Jack then moved on to explore the other rooms on the first floor and asked Womack to connect him to John.

_‘What’s happening, sir?’_

‘Has Kirkland explained about Nish’ta?  I told him to.’

_‘He did, yes, but I don’t think I was affected by it.  I certainly didn’t feel any different.’_

‘Let’s not take the chance.  I’ve got as much of your dad’s stuff as I can.  Is there anything else I should look for?’

There was silence on the comm, then John spoke again.  ‘ _Dave’s room was always the large one at the back.  If he still lives there, that’s where he’d keep anything secret.’_

‘I’ve got a room which overlooks the swimming pool.  Is this it?  It doesn’t look as though anyone lives here.’

_‘It never did.  Dave’s a neat freak, and that’s coming from someone who’s served in the forces for twelve years.  Is there still a tall set of drawers, about five foot high?’_

‘Yeah.  Any particular drawer or should I search them all?’

_‘Open the bottom one.  Pull it right out, and you’ll find a hidden compartment underneath it.  That’s where Dave always hid anything he didn’t want anyone to see.’_

‘What is it with you Sheppards and secret hideyholes?  And if it was a secret, how come you know about it?’

_‘I saw him open it one day.  He didn’t know I was hiding under the bed.’_

‘Why were you hiding under the bed?  Oof!  Got it.  Wish I’d thought to bring a torch.’

 _‘General O’Neill_?’  Womack’s voice came over the radio.  ‘ _A car’s just pulled up outside with two life signs in it.  Shall I beam you out_?’

‘Hold on a minute.’  Jack’s voice was muffled as he tried to pull a large box from the secret compartment.  He could barely get his fingers around it to grasp it.

_‘Sir, they’ve entered the house.  One is going towards the room I beamed Colonel Sheppard from, and the…the other is coming up the stairs!  Sir!  I need to beam you out!’_

‘Just a second.’

_‘We don’t have a second, s—’_

‘Now, Womack!’  Jack saw the door open, and a man enter just as he was swept away in a beam of light.

********

‘Is there anything we do to bring him out of this?’  John stood, his hands in his pockets, watching his father sitting placidly on a bed in an observation room at the SGC, displaying no interest in his surroundings.  This wasn’t the man he’d known growing up.  This wasn’t even the man he’d argued with over his career choices.

‘He’ll come out of it as soon as we shoot him with a Zat,’ Jack told him, also watching Patrick Sheppard.

‘A Zat?  Then why haven’t you already done it?’

‘Because as soon as your father’s back to himself again, he’s going to have a lot of questions, and I’d like us to be able to answer a few of them.  Until then, he’s perfectly alright.  Fraiser’s keeping him under close observation and you’ll know the minute she’s not satisfied.’  Jack turned away from the viewing window and looked at John.  ‘In the meantime, we need you to go through the papers we brought from Virginia and see if you can shed some light on the whole situation.’

‘I doubt if I can.  I’ve had no contact with him for sixteen years.’

‘I still need you to try.  The fact he was being dosed with Nish’ta is evidence of Goa’uld involvement.  There might be some clue in there as to which snake it is and how far it all goes.  Your brother doesn’t appear to be Nish’ta’ed, but he might well have been snaked, and we’re pretty certain, now, that he’s a member of this Trust.’

‘Why are you certain?’

‘Because as far as I can see the only reason for keeping your father drugged is to make him pliable.  Killing him isn’t an option, or he’d already be dead.  They need him alive for some reason, and we need to find out what it is.’

‘What about this new wife?  Where does she fit into this?’

Jack laughed.  ‘You mean sweet Candy-Ann?  Yes, that’s her name — a caricature of a rich, elderly man’s wife: all blond hair and bosom.  Barrett’s looking into her background as we speak, but it looks as though they married her to your father so she could control him.  Do you recall Francis Haigh?’

‘He’s dad’s best friend – or at least was – and my godfather.  They served together in the Navy.’

‘Paul Davis has gone to speak to him since Barrett discovered he’s been making waves in DC and trying to get someone to look into Patrick’s rather unexpected marriage to Candy-Ann.  Haigh says it’s totally out of character for Patrick to marry her so quickly – he says they can’t have known each other above a week or so before they married.’

‘It certainly doesn’t sound like something Dad would do, although I am sixteen years out of date.’  John watched his father for a moment or two then turned to O’Neill.  ‘This is doing me no good whatsoever.  I’ll go and look at the papers for you.’

Jack patted his shoulder and led the way out into the corridor.  ‘Good man.  I’ve got Miko looking at the memory sticks we recovered and doing a bit of general digging.  Let’s hope something turns up soon.’

********

The papers made interesting reading for John, but he wondered why Jack had insisted he go through them himself since it was a job anyone could have done, then realised O’Neill probably guessed what they contained and wanted John to learn first-hand exactly what his brother had been doing as well as keeping him occupied.  He looked up as the door opened.  He’d told his admin to leave him alone for a couple of hours, but it was only Rodney.  _Checking up on me, no doubt._

‘Have you finished?’ Rodney asked, nodding towards the mess of papers and notebooks on his desk.

‘Pretty much.  It appears that—’ he began, only for Rodney to hold up his hand.

‘Wait a moment.  Let’s get the others in here.’

‘What others?’

Rodney gave him a patented ‘too stupid to walk and breathe at the same time’ look, and clicked his radio.  ‘O’Neill?  John’s finished.  Want to call the others in?’

Five minutes later they were joined by O’Neill, Paul Davis and…

‘Francis?  What are you doing here?’

Francis Haigh, a tall, grey-bearded man in his early sixties, smiled at John.  ‘Nice to see you, Johnny.  I’m glad you’re finally helping your father.’

John stumbled to his feet and grasped the outstretched hand.  ‘Good to see you too, sir.  I didn’t realise you were read into the Programme.’

‘Only just happened, son, but it’s all starting to make sense now.’

‘Will you take a seat, Captain Haigh?’ Jack murmured to him, ushering him to the sofa.  Jack sat down beside Haigh, with Paul Davis opposite them, and raised his eyebrows at John and Rodney who dragged over the chairs right in front of John’s desk.

‘I’ve already spoken to both Colonel Davis and Captain Haigh, but I’ll sum up what we’ve discussed for you both,’ Jack told them.  ‘Briefly, out of the blue, two months ago Patrick Sebastian Sheppard married Candy-Ann Fletcher by proxy here in Colorado.’

‘By _proxy_?  What the hell does that mean?’ John demanded.

‘It means he wasn’t present at the ceremony,’ Rodney explained.

‘I know that and it’s not what I meant!’

‘My guess is either your father wouldn’t have agreed or he was already so doped up they couldn’t risk him appearing in public.’   Rodney’s face expressed precisely what he felt about these people.

‘Just the conclusion we came to,’ Jack nodded.  ‘Plus Colorado is one of the few states which both allows proxy weddings _and_ has no residency or waiting rules.  According to the records Miko was able to find, David Sheppard had a letter saying Patrick was very ill and couldn’t attend in person.’

‘So why marry Dad off?  If they were already drugging him, why force him to marry this…’

‘Candy-Ann,’ Rodney supplied helpfully, earning himself a glare from John.

‘I guess it was some sort of insurance in case your father became too difficult to handle,’ Davis said.

‘Despite your falling out, John, Patrick never stopped hoping you’d come home,’ Haigh said quietly.  ‘And I’m pretty sure he never changed his will, which meant, on his death, his estate was to be divided between yourself and David.’

‘Making us equal partners?  Dave wouldn’t have liked that.’

‘Equal partners, yes, but the way Patrick arranged his will, at least the will _I_ saw, it gave you each 49% of SI’s stock.  I would hold the additional 2%.’

‘So you’d have the casting vote in the event of a disagreement?’ Jack asked.

‘Correct.’

‘And the arrangement at present is that Patrick holds 52% with John and David each holding 24%, right?’

‘Then there’s the reason they kept Patrick alive,’ Rodney said, with a glance at John.  ‘As it stands, John’s brother can control the company with his 24% and their father’s 52%.  The marriage was a back up in case someone began asking too many questions.  They’d have a pretty good chance of the bimbo being granted at least a share of the estate, especially if David agreed, and then he could carry on controlling the company.’

‘That was the conclusion we came to,’ Paul Davis said, glancing at Haigh.

‘So what do we do now?’ John looked around at the men in his office.  ‘Can we get the marriage annulled?’

‘I’ve got our lawyers looking into it right now,’ Davis told him.  ‘They’re also tracking down the Doctor who wrote the letter saying your father was ill.  If we can get him to admit they coerced him or paid him to write it there’s a good chance we can get it annulled.’

‘Wouldn’t that leave him open to questions of competency, at the very least?’ Jack asked.

Paul Davis shrugged.  ‘Perhaps, but we could probably negotiate a deal for him if he’s willing to help us.’

John shifted in his seat, keen to get back to what he saw as the point of the meeting.  ‘Can we bring Dad around, now?’

‘Not yet.’  Jack looked a little uncomfortable.  ‘There’s something else.  Captain Haigh?’

Haigh nodded, took a deep breath and focussed on John.  ‘Were you aware that David and yourself don’t have the same mother?’

John nodded.  ‘Yes. Dave’s mother died when he was a couple of years old, I think.  I don’t know many details; no one spoke about it. Mom, my mother, that is, never made any distinction between us.  We were both her sons as far as she was concerned.  Why?  What’s that got to do with this?’  He waved his hand around.

Haigh glanced at the other men.  ‘Forgive me, gentlemen, but I’m about to give John some family history.’  He focused back on John.  ‘Back when Patrick and I were training to be Naval Aviators, we attended a party with several other would-be pilots on Pensacola Beach in late March 1964.  We were young and stupid, and most of us had far too much to drink, Patrick included.  He’d been dancing with a local girl, I didn’t find out her name until later, and they disappeared at one point but I barely noticed, I was having far too good a time.  Anyway, a couple of weeks later Patrick was called into our CO’s office and…Well, let’s just say he was about to pay for being young and stupid.  They were married a few weeks later and David was born in December, quite a healthy baby considering he was a few weeks early.

‘I’m pretty certain Lynne, David’s mother, had expected a very different life to the one she ended up with as she was forever moaning about something: being left alone with the baby, the tiny flat they lived in, and pretty much anything else she could find fault with.  She’d obviously thought she’d be living in the lap of luxury but discovered that wealthy family aside, Patrick lived like any other Junior Grade in the Navy and spent most of his time working, not socialising, and Lynne didn’t like that.  After we were posted away from Pensacola for further training, Lynne moved back home with her parents and Patrick spent most of his time away from her and he admitted, to me at least, that he’d made a huge mistake in marrying her.  Anyway, long story short, we were both posted to Vietnam in ’66 – before the war there really kicked off – and she made one hell of a fuss, even though she’d known since she met him that it was almost certain Patrick would serve overseas at some point.  Anyway, in June ’67 Patrick was badly injured and, for a while, the medics thought he’d never walk again.’

John nodded, aware that his father had been gravely injured and given a medical discharge with the thanks of a grateful nation etc. etc.  Little had changed in the military, in that respect at least.  An injured man was no use to any branch of the military, and especially not an injured aviator.  ‘That’s when Mom met Dad, isn’t it?  Wasn’t she his physical therapist?  I thought Dave’s mother was already dead, though.’

Haigh shook his head.  ‘No, but she was certainly off the scene.  After the doctors told her it was likely Patrick’d spend the rest of life in a wheelchair, she left a note and disappeared, leaving David with her parents.  Patrick’s parents, your grandparents, were understandably furious and took custody of him and paid for the very best care available for your father.  A quiet divorce was arranged, on the grounds of abandonment and a year later Isabel and Patrick were married.  Your father walked her down the aisle unaided and I was his best man.  He took his place in Sheppard Industries, and you arrived in 1970.’

‘So what happened to Lynne?’

Francis gave John a grim smile.  ‘That’s where the story gets interesting.  As you’ve no doubt realised, she wasn’t dead at all, and in fact, when she realised Patrick had fully recovered, she tried to come back to him, saying it was all a mistake and she realised she still loved him.  Unsurprisingly, Patrick would have no truck with her, especially, as he told me later, when she never even asked how David was.’  A smile appeared on Haigh’s face.  ‘You were the perfect little family and Isabel adored both her sons _and_ their father.  It was a huge shock to everyone when she developed cancer in 1982 and passed away.  I think if she’d been alive when you and Patrick had the big argument when you were 18 she’d have talked him round and there’d never have been the falling out there was.’

‘I did try to talk to him, you know,’ John admitted, a shadow falling across his face.  ‘I tried to call him a couple of times but he’d left orders with his secretary not to put me through, and when I tried to call him at home Dave told me to leave it awhile as Dad was still angry.’  He shrugged his shoulders.  ‘I was angry too, and…well, before I knew it, several years had passed and…’  He gave Francis a wan smile.

‘And if I told you Patrick hadn’t told his secretary to deny you?’

John looked at him in confusion.  ‘What?

‘Patrick admitted to me he’d made a mistake with you soon after you left home and he tried his hardest to contact you.  Eventually, David told _him_ you didn’t want to talk to him ever again.’

‘ _David_?  Why would…Oh.’  The penny dropped and John scrubbed his face with his hands.  ‘David told the same tale to us both, right?’

Francis nodded.   ‘I didn’t realise it until today when the pieces fell into place.  David’s the one who kept you apart and—’

‘Why?’ John demanded.  ‘Why would he do that?’

‘If you’ll let me finish?’

John flushed and nodded.  ‘Sorry, sir. Go on.’

‘It would appear that David is in contact with his birth mother, again.  I don’t know how or when they made contact, but, according to Agent Barrett, David has been seen meeting with her on several occasions.  He’s also making payments to her through Sheppard Industries, items which appear as ‘Consultancy Fees’ in both her bank account in Los Angeles and SI accounts.  One can only assume why she’s being given money, but none of it points to anything beneficial to either SI or Patrick.’

‘This…This is incredible,’ John said, rubbing the back of his neck until Rodney put his hand on John’s shoulder.  John gave Rodney a weak smile and clenched his fists on his thighs.

‘It gets worse,’ Jack added, grimly.  ‘Miko’s been able to dig out phone records which show Candy-whatsit is, well, at the very least known to Ms West – she’s gone back to her maiden name.  We don’t know the full extent of West’s involvement with the Trust if she’s involved at all, but she’s certainly of interest to us, as the police say.’

‘If,’ Haigh continued, ‘as we suspect, Patrick has been married off to Candy-Ann without his knowledge or, indeed, his consent, then we can have the police look into the whole affair and—’  He broke off as Paul Davis coughed.

‘Sorry, sir, but I don’t think the police or any other agency will be brought into this.  Not if the President has anything to say about it as it could, potentially, put the entire Stargate Programme at risk.’

Haigh frowned.  ‘Then how will we be able to get the marriage annulled and get at least some justice for Patrick?’

‘The security of the Stargate Programme comes above almost anything in the US, Captain Haigh,’ Jack explained carefully.  ‘Declassification is many years away, if it’s ever declassified, and for good reason.  The world’s not ready to learn that we have regular interaction with other planets and are fighting a war with them.’

‘But what has that to do with getting justice for Patrick Sheppard?’

‘If the Pentagon decides that Candy-May, or whatever her name is, and the West woman are a threat to the Programme, they’ll quietly disappear.  Oh, they won’t be _killed_ ,’ Jack added, seeing the expression of horror on Haigh’s face.  ‘They’ll probably be held in a secure unit somewhere off the grid.’

‘But that’s…’

‘You really have swallowed the red pill, sir,’ John told him with a grin.  ‘You’ve entered a completely different world to the one you knew yesterday.’

‘And we _have_ to play with very different rules,’ Davis added.  ‘We can get Mr Sheppard his annulment if that’s what he wants, and we can even impose our own brand of justice on the perpetrators, as long as it’s in the interests of the Programme.  My concern, however, is that Mr David Sheppard is almost certainly a member of the Trust and if we make a move on his associates it might tip them off.’

‘So we just let them go?  And what about Patrick?  Won’t they be concerned that he’s disappeared?’

‘I vanished from the Sheppard home in a flash of light,’ Jack told him.  ‘That, coupled with the fact Patrick’s disappeared _and_ one of their operatives was tied up and left in a cupboard, will give them a pretty good idea of what’s happened.  They already know we’ve got him and they might also be expecting him to get his marriage annulled.  What they can’t be sure of, however, is that we know about West.  They may expect us to make a move against David Sheppard, but in reality, there’s little we can do.  If we cut off one snake’s head, another will appear; we _can_ be certain about that.’

‘So what do we do now?’ Haigh asked in frustration.

‘The first thing to do is bring Patrick back to himself.  Then, if we’re right in our assumptions about his marriage, we can begin to have it annulled.  The rest will depend on Patrick himself.  If he wants to take back control of Sheppard Industries we can help him, or arrange someone to help him, but it might work out better if Patrick stays away from SI and we keep an eye on them to find out what their long term plans are.  That’s the only way we can bring them down: find out how far their tentacles have spread and what it is they actually want.’

*******

John decided that watching a potentially lethal weapon be used on your own father was disturbing, to say the least.  He’d been Zatted enough times to know the pain of the pins and needles which wracked a body when it regained consciousness and he wanted to spare his father from that, if at all possible, but it was the quickest way to bring Patrick out from his drugged stupor.  Jack explained Patrick wouldn’t be affected in the usual way, but John wasn’t entirely convinced until he saw his father twitch and look around in puzzlement.

John moved to stand in front of him.  ‘Dad?  How…How are you feeling?’

‘John?  What are you doing here?  What am _I_ doing here?  And where is here?’ he asked, looking around at the concrete walls and artificial lighting.  ‘Why am I in bed?’

Jack stepped forward to stand by John.  ‘Mr Sheppard?  I’m Brigadier General Jack O’Neill, John’s commanding officer.  Can you tell me the last thing you remember?’

‘I…I’m not sure.  Everything’s very hazy.  What date is it?’

‘It’s the 20th July 2004,’ John said gently.  ‘Does that make sense?’

‘No.  No, it doesn’t.  I remember going to a meeting with Miles Blackwood, a Virginian Senator, on the 10th of May.  He wanted to talk about our plans for expanding one of the R&D plants.  We met at his office in Richmond and…I don’t remember much more.’

‘Mr Sheppard, you’ve been drugged with…well, we can go into details later,’ Jack explained.  ‘For now, all that matters is that you’ve been under the influence of a narcotic for over two months and certain things have happened which will take some time to explain.  I can see our Base Doctor is frowning at me.  She wants to check you over and make sure the drug hasn’t caused any problems.  Will you allow her to examine you?  We can meet again afterwards and I can explain things a little better.  Is that alright?’

Patrick looked a little dazed by all the information thrown at him but he nodded.  ‘I…Yes, that’s fine. I’ll…I’ll see you later will I, John?’

‘I’ll be here as soon as the Doc says I can come in.  Francis is here with us as well.’

‘Francis?  Francis Haigh?  What’s he doing here?’

‘He’s been trying to find out what happened to you and was making a few waves in DC,’ Jack answered.  ‘We brought him here for his own protection as much as anything.  He’s been helping us work out what happened to you.’

‘Where’s David?’ Patrick asked suddenly.  ‘Is he here too?’

Jack and John exchanged glances that didn’t go unnoticed by Patrick.

‘Is he in some sort of trouble?  He’s not been quite himself for…Well, I noticed something wasn’t right not long before I went to see Blackwood.  In fact, David’s the one who set up the meeting.’

‘We’ll explain it all later, Dad.  For the moment, Dr Fraiser is glaring at me, and I’m scared of her.  We’ll leave you in her capable hands, okay?’

‘I don’t think I’ve got much choice, have I?’ Patrick replied, a little sarcastically, making John grin.

_And there’s the dad I remember._

********

Forty-five minutes later Patrick was escorted to ‘Colonel Sheppard’s Office’.  He tried not to let the shock at his son’s rank show to the young Corporal who led him there, simply thanking him as he entered the large and comfortable room.

‘How long have you been a Colonel, son?  And is it light or full bird?’

‘Full bird, Dad, and since the first of May.  I’m the Second in Command of this facility.’

‘And just what is this facility?  And _where_ is it?’

‘You’re at Stargate Command in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado,’ Jack O’Neill said, mischief dancing in his eyes.

‘I’m _where_?’

‘You’re down the rabbit hole, Patrick.  Welcome to the club,’ a familiar voice told him.

‘Francis.  Are you part of this madhouse as well?’

‘Hey!’ John protested.  ‘Not all of us are mad.  Not as yet, that is.’

‘So, son, explain to me just what Stargate Command is and how you came to be a part of it.’

‘I’m afraid that’s a long story and best kept for another time’ John told his father.  ‘We need to discuss _you_ right at this moment.  Take a seat and I’ll have some coffee brought, and we can all have a nice chat.’

As he listened to the tale of how he came to be at Stargate Command where his son was XO to Jack O’Neill, Patrick realised that John had changed.  Sixteen years was a long time but John hadn’t just grown up, he’d become a soldier and earned every bit of his rank, as far as Patrick could see.  He clearly got on well with his CO; theirs was more of a friendship than a simple working relationship, something which had eluded John in the past, he knew.  John might not have wanted any contact with his family but Patrick had kept an eye on his career regardless.  He was aware there had been one or two instances in Afghanistan where John had skirted very close to a reprimand, and friendship with a CO was about as far away from reality as little green men.

‘Wait,’ he said suddenly, bringing his full attention back to O’Neill.  ‘Married?  You say I’m _married_?’

‘So you weren’t aware of it,’ Francis said, with a relief Patrick didn’t quite understand.

‘The only marriages I’ve had have been with Lynne West,’ he couldn’t help the contempt with which he said her name,  ‘and with Isabel Grantly.’

‘David arranged a proxy marriage for you with some bimbo from LA,’ John told him, distaste colouring his tone.

‘Candy-May, or maybe it was Candy-Ann,’ Jack supplied helpfully.

‘It could be bloody Candy-striped for all I care.  I did _not_ agree to such a marriage.  And you say David arranged it?’

‘He was the proxy,’ Francis told him, smirking at Patrick’s comment.

‘Okay, there’s obviously been some mixed up shit happening and I need the full story.  Not little bits here and there, I need to know everything that’s hap—’

He was interrupted by a brief knock at the door followed by it flying open and the entrance of two excited men.

‘I’ve done—’

‘ _We’ve_ done it, you mean, _hajzl_.’

‘Shut up you Czech—’

John gave a loud whistle, shocking everyone into silence.  ‘I’ve told you before, one at a time.  And Radek?  Don’t call Rodney a bastard.’

Radek and Rodney stared at him agape.

‘How do you know what—’

‘I made it my business to know.  Rodney?  Don’t do things that make him call you a bastard.  Now, why are the pair of you barging into my office uninvited?’

‘I didn’t know I needed an invitation to…’ Rodney glanced around the room and took in the man with Francis Haigh and Jack.  ‘Ah. Your father’s back in the land of the living?’

‘It certainly looks like it, doesn’t it.  Now, what do you want?’

‘I’ve—’

‘ _We_ have!’

‘Alright, alright, keep your Czech panties on.  _We_ have worked out how to create a mini ZPM.’

 

##  **Chapter Nine**

‘C’mon, McKay.  Time for all good little scientists to be in bed.’  John lounged against the doorjamb of Rodney’s lab and surveyed his partner.

‘There’s so much wrong with that sentence I don’t quite know where to start.  I don’t want to go to bed.  I’ve far too much to do.’

‘I’m hurt.  Mortally wounded that you don’t want to come to bed with me, especially as I’ve been stuck in meetings all day with the Vice Chief of Staff.’

‘You didn’t tell them about my Mini-ZPM, did you?’

‘No, Rodney.  I didn’t.  Jack and I both told you we’d rather keep it up our sleeves for the moment.’

‘Yes, yes, I know you did, but considering they’ve been interrogating you for the last eight hours I was worried you might have let it slip.’

‘All the officers and NCOs at the SGC have undergone advanced SERE training, and many of the lower ranks as well.  You know that.’

‘Yes, but pitting your wits against the enemy is very different to pitting them against the Pentagon.’

‘Not so much, to be honest.  I swear there’s little to choose between some of them and the Goa’uld.’

‘Wow.  That’s a damning indictment against the US Military.’  Rodney took a proper look at his partner and noted the dark rings under his eyes and the slightest hint of grey hair on his temples.  ‘Give me a minute, then, and I’m done. Radek, Miko and I’ve been testing the integrity of the storage crystals we’re using for the WITSLLEN stuff.  Miko’s grown some new crystals she thinks will be better for long term storage.  If she’s right, and I think she is, we’ll transfer everything over into them.  They have a larger capacity than the ones we’re using at present, as well.’

‘Are they the ones she showed to Dad?’

‘Yes.  He’s asked to licence the process from her.  She’ll retain ownership of the patent but will allow SI to market them on her behalf – if we’re ever allowed to market such things _and_ he takes back control from your brother.  Having your Dad here has made a big difference, though.  He’s already managed to get some of the minor technology we’ve developed out into the world through various people he knows.  It promises to bring in a good income for the SGC as well, so Jack’s happy.’

Following his debrief regarding the actions of his eldest son and the suspicions of the SGC, Patrick had decided to remain in Cheyenne Mountain at the invitation of Jack O’Neill.  David Sheppard was aware the SGC had rescued his father, and they had aided him in having his marriage to Candy-Ann Fletcher annulled, but Patrick refrained from pursuing legal action against either her or David and take back full control of Sheppard Industries on the advice of Paul Davis.  According to Miko and Malcolm Barrett, who were covertly following David’s movements and conversations, this decision had surprised the Trust and knocked them off-kilter.  It also, as far as Barrett could tell, halted their advancement within the US for the moment although Barrett was concerned they were continuing their spread around the rest of the world.

Jack and John’s current meeting with senior military from the Pentagon concerned everyone at the SGC.  The order for the meeting appeared to come out of nowhere, according to Paul Davis who was part of the Pentagon contingent, and purported to be nothing more than a six-month review of Jack’s first command at a one-star rank.  What was of concern, however, was General Hammond, to whom, on paper, at least, Jack reported, was excluded from the review, and when Jack questioned this, it was brushed aside.Another point of concern was the fact that General Hammond, the man to whom Jack reported (at least on paper), was excluded from the review and when Jack questioned this, the issue was brushed aside.

Daniel, consequently, paid a visit to DC to visit the Smithsonian on an urgent matter and invited General Hammond to dine with him while he was there.  They ate in a small Italian restaurant recommended by and known to Patrick Sheppard, where Daniel was able to use Jack’s little gift from Thor.  George Hammond hadn’t been informed about the upcoming visit and, at first, expressed his intention of demanding an answer from the Pentagon but Daniel managed to persuade him against it, citing their need to keep Davis’ support of the SGC to themselves although he did promise to keep Hammond advised as to what happened.

‘It may be the start of a campaign to get one of their own people into the Mountain,’ Hammond suggested to Daniel.  ‘They have no grounds for doing so though, and, for the moment at least, the President supports Jack so they’ll have great difficulty shifting him.’

This was all duly reported back to SG-1, Jack, and Patrick Sheppard, a body which had become what amounted to a steering group for the SGC, in terms of fighting the Trust, at least.

For now, though, Rodney saw how tired John looked and made a mental note not to get too tied up in his work to notice how hard John was pushing himself.  Running the Mountain was a tremendous job and while, technically, Jack was in charge, most of the day to day organisation fell on John’s shoulders while Jack dealt with the broader concerns of the Stargate Programme.  The military side was undoubtedly John’s Company along with the SG and off-world teams, while the science department all knew their security and well being was in the Colonel’s hands; Rodney made sure of _that_.  It was a lot to cope with, especially given that just a year ago John had been a Major flying helicopters in Afghanistan.

‘Do you ever regret rescuing your friend, Captain Holland?’ Rodney asked suddenly.

‘What?  No! Of course not.  Where’s that come from?’

Rodney closed down his last computer, collected his two laptops and pushed John out of the door, flicking off the lights behind them.  ‘I don’t know.  I just remembered that was how you came to be involved with the Stargate Programme and I…I wondered if you were sorry you did.’

After a glance around, John slung his arm around Rodney’s shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss.  He leaned his forehead against Rodney’s and Rodney could feel John’s warm breath on his face.

‘If I hadn’t joined the Programme, I’d’ve never met you, and I could _never_ regret that.’

A sharp spike of emotion shot through Rodney at his words.  Neither of them was particularly demonstrative, especially in public, and neither were prone to gushing romantic platitudes on each other.  ‘I…You know I feel the same way, don’t you?  As though I’ve waited my whole life for you to come along.’

John gave him a soft smile.  ‘I’ve always thought actions speak much louder than words, so come on and let me show you how much I love you.’

Rodney couldn’t help the start he gave and his slight movement banged their heads together.  ‘Ow, ow, ow. Sorry, sorry, you just made me jump, that’s all. I wasn’t—’

‘Rodney, breathe.’  John halted his babbling with just two words, and Rodney took a couple of deep breaths.

‘Sorry, but you surprised me.  I wasn’t prepared for the L word.’

‘Not prepared or not wanting to hear it?’

‘Christ, John!  Not prepared!  You might think I’m turning into a big girl but…well…I…I love you too, y’know.’

‘I do know, and I think you’re far from being a big girl.’

A gentle kiss thankfully prevented Rodney from making an inappropriate quip and, instead, he kissed John back then pulled away.

‘I think you said something about showing me?’

John grinned and caught hold of Rodney’s free hand.  ‘Good plan.  You really are a genius.’

********

John faced the meeting with the Pentagon brass in a much better mood the following morning and noticed his father was seated next to Jack at the briefing table.  The pair had been spending an excessive amount of time together and a comment Rodney had made suddenly came to mind. He tipped his head on one side and watched them surreptitiously as he filled his cup with coffee, filing the information away to discuss with Rodney later.

Brigadier General Kovach, the man who’d taken Richard Holland’s place as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, frowned at Patrick as he took his seat at the opposite end of the table to Jack.

‘Why is Mr Sheppard here?  Who invited him?’

‘I did.’  Richard Holland slipped into the room and nodded as everyone, Patrick included, got to their feet.  ‘As you were, people.’

‘Why?’ Kovach demanded.  ‘And why are _you_ here?’

‘Because, as the US representative on the IOA, anything which concerns the SGC concerns me,’ Richard told him, taking the seat next to Jack which John had quickly vacated.  ‘As for why _Dr_ Sheppard is here… as an industrial mogul and special consultant to the SGC, _I_ wanted him to be present if we were discussing the future of the Stargate Programme.’

‘Who told you we were discussing the future of the Programme?’

Holland gave him a sad smile.  ‘Really, James.  I do sometimes question how you manage to walk and breathe at the same time.’

John swallowed a snort of laughter and kept his face as straight as he could, something Jack didn’t even bother trying to do.

‘He’s got you there, Jimmy.  Multi-tasking was never your forte.’

‘Now, now, Jack, don’t be unkind.  James can’t help being an idiot.’

‘I…you…I…’ Kovach blustered while Richard shook his head.

‘Take a deep breath, James, and try to remember that both Jack and I outrank you.’

Kovach scowled at him.  ‘General Maynard is concerned about the security and integrity of Stargate Command, especially in light of one of the aliens here attacking a member of the public and the Stargate itself going missing.’

John noted the swift glance and minute nod Jack gave to Richard Holland and wasn’t surprised when Richard took the lead in answering.

‘Teal’c was cleared of any involvement in the attack in June and I object to the tone of your remarks.  As has been made clear on numerous occasions, _and_ by the President himself, Teal’c is both a valued ally of the United States and an important member of the SGC.  Furthermore, he is also recognised by the US Government as the accredited Ambassador of our close allies, the Free Jaffa, and, as such, enjoys the same rights and privileges as any other diplomat to the United States of America.’

Jack smirked at Kovach.  ‘Just in case you didn’t understand all those long words, Jimmy, it means Teal’c’s off limits to you and all your little friends.’

Kovach flushed.  ‘That’s ridiculous.  I don’t believe a word of it and the Pentagon certainly hasn’t been informed of any such status given to the Jaffa.’

John felt as though he was watching a tennis match as he turned his head between Kovach and Richard Holland, and as he twisted his head to watch Holland’s next volley, he saw Richard pull a cell phone from his pocket.  Richard pressed a couple of buttons, and John could hear the faint sound of a stored number on speed dial ringing.  He heard someone answer but couldn’t quite make out the voice on the other end.

‘Good morning, sir,’ Richard began.  ‘I apologise for disturbing you but I’m with Brigadier General Kovach at the SGC and he’s having difficulty understanding the diplomatic status of Teal’c.’

A tinny voice replied, and while John couldn’t make out the words, he did see the colour drain from Kovach’s face as he took in the significance of the call.

‘I’ll hand you over now, sir,’ Richard told the voice on the other end of his call, and he held the phone out for Kovach to come and take.  ‘Hurry up, James.  Don’t keep our Commander-in-Chief waiting.’

Kovach scuttled over to take the phone, and while John still couldn’t hear what was said, he could see the effect they were having on Kovach.

‘Yes, sir…Yes, sir…I…Yes, sir…Certainly, sir.’

He handed the phone back to Richard and looked away.  Richard listened to the President for a while then answered with a simple, ‘At once, sir,’ and clicked the phone off.  He sat back in his chair and watched Kovach gather his many files together – files he’d had no opportunity to open – and then turned to John, smirk fixed firmly on his face.

‘Perhaps you’d arrange a car for General Kovach, John.  I understand he’s taking a C130 back to DC.’

Once again John tried to keep his face as straight as possible while inside he was doubled over in laughter.  ‘Certainly, sir.’

He managed until he was almost at the lift, well out of the hearing range of the briefing room, and burst into laughter which had him leaning against the wall in an effort not to fall down.  He finally got himself under control and doubled back to the control room where Walter was on the phone.

‘The car will be ready in just a few minutes, sir,’ Walter told him as he set down the receiver.  ‘Shall I have an escort take General Kovach to the surface?’

John nodded then, on impulse, asked the question he’d wanted to ask since he first arrived at the SGC.  ‘How do you do it, Walter?’

‘Do what, sir?’

‘How do you always know what any of us want, or need you to do?’

‘I don’t know what you mean, sir.’

John nodded again, aware he’d never get an answer to his question.  In any case, it was probably best not to know.

********

John made his way back to the briefing room via Rodney’s lab on level 19 where he described the confrontation between the two Generals.

‘I’ve not laughed so much in weeks.’

‘How come I only ever get to go to meetings where everything ends in shouting, not laughter?’ Rodney demanded.  ‘I wish I’d seen it. I’ve come across that Kovach fuckwit before.  He came to a meeting here about two years ago when Jonas Quinn first came to the SGC.  He wanted to have him held at Area 51 so they could investigate his eidetic memory.  Kovach was convinced the Kelownans had developed technology to create it and argued  we should hand him over for research, especially as Jonas was responsible, so Kovach claimed, for the death of a major US asset.’

‘Well, no less a person than the President put him firmly in his place and ordered him back to Washington on a C130, the most uncomfortable aeroplane to be built in the history of the world.’

Rodney laughed at this.  ‘Glad to see you take your pleasure in the little things.’

‘It’s the little things that count, McKay.’

‘If you make some smutty remark now, so help me, I’ll put IcyHot in your shorts.  Now, get back to your meeting and stop disturbing me. Some of us have work to do.’  He softened his words by pressing a quick kiss to John’s lips and pushed him on his way, scowling at Radek and Miko who were openly watching their interactions.

John waved a hand.  ‘Later, people,’ he called as he left the lab, grinning at the sound of Rodney berating his colleagues for voyeurism.

********

‘Did you lose your way?’ Jack enquired politely when John – finally – got back to the briefing room.  ‘Sit down.  Richard says he’s got some disturbing news for us but wanted to tell us all together.’

‘I have good reason to believe some members of the IOA have become Goa’uld hosts.’  Having made his pronouncement, Richard Holland sat back and watched the reactions of his colleagues.  They didn’t fail to entertain him.

‘What the fuck?’ came from Jack.

A decidedly inelegant ‘Huh?’ from John, while his father reacted most constructively.

‘What makes you think that and what can we do about it?’

Richard nodded to Patrick.  ‘Two good questions which cut right to the heart of the matter without any superfluous prattle.’

Jack eyed Richard narrowly.  ‘Is that your way of calling John and me windbags?’

‘Not at all,’ Richard replied with an innocent look.  ‘I wouldn’t dream of it.  I was simply interested in your reactions to my news.’

‘Then the IOA hasn’t been snaked?’

‘Oh, yes, I’m almost positive two members have been, as you say, snaked.’

‘China and France,’ Jack guessed.  ‘Do you want to take Teal’c back to New York with you?  He’ll be able to confirm if they have.’

‘No, I don’t think so.  There’s nothing we can do if they’ve become hosts, not without causing a diplomatic incident.’

‘And your answer to my questions?’ Patrick reminded him.

‘I’ve answered the second one: there’s very little we _can_ do and, indeed, it’s probably best for all of us if I appear to be unaware.  I’m pretty sure Peter Luce and Russell Chapman are still free of unwanted passengers.  I’m not so sure about General Chekov.’

‘It’s a real shame if he has,’ Jack remarked.  ‘Alexei Chekov is one of the few honest men left in the Russian Federation and I know he’d rather die than be controlled by a snake.  Why do you think Luce and Chapman are still free?’

‘For the same reason I am.  They don’t think we’re worth bothering with.  Canada and Britain wield very little real power in the world today, despite what their governments might think.’

‘But the US does.  Why wouldn’t they want to snake you?’ Jack pressed.

Holland grinned at him.  ‘Because I’m a Johnny-come-late on the IOA and very few people know much about me.  They probably see me as just another grunt, albeit one with three stars on his shoulder.  I would suggest, though, that you either scan people who visit the SGC, or have Teal’c meet with those who’d take offence at being scanned.’

Jack nodded.  ‘Good point. I’ll see to it.’

‘What about SGC personnel who’ve been off-base at all?’ John asked.  ‘Several of the scientists have moved back home despite us asking them to remain here.  When nothing bad happened a number of them requested permission to go home and we couldn’t force them to stay.  I told them we still advised against it although both they and I knew that we’d do everything we could to help them if something did happen to them.  We were all thinking of possible kidnapping, though, especially after Teal’c’s experience.  None of us was prepared for snaked members of staff.’

‘Teal’c can’t spend all his time checking everyone who sets foot out of the Mountain,’ Jack protested and rubbed his face with his hands.  ‘Christ!  What a mess.  We check everyone who goes off-world.  I never thought we’d have to check people on Earth.’

Richard saw John’s hand move to his ear and listen intently.  Despite replying to a radio message, John nodded.  ‘Understood.  Bring them down, Major, and call the rest of SG-1 as well.  We might as well have you all in on this.’  He focussed on the others.  ‘Barrett and Paul Davis have just arrived with news for us.  Lorne’s bringing them and the rest of SG-1 down.’

‘Now what!’  Jack shook his head.  ‘I’m beginning to regret getting out of bed this morning!’

Richard caught the barest hint of a reaction from Patrick Sheppard he would have missed if he hadn’t been paying close attention to him and Jack.  _Lays the wind in that direction?_

Within ten minutes the four men were joined by SG-1, and Barrett and Davis.  Hot on their heels came Walter Harriman with fresh coffee and a plate of pastries, along with a slice of apple pie for Jack O’Neill.

‘Walter, you are truly beyond the price of rubies,’ Jack announced, much to Walter’s surprise, falling upon the pie as though he hadn’t eaten for days.

‘Umm.  Thank you, sir.  I think.’

Rodney, for his part, took ownership of one of the carafes of coffee and looked around.  ‘Well?  Why have I been dragged away from my vital work?’

‘ _I_ asked Lorne to drag you away,’ John told him.  ‘Behave!’

Rodney scowled at him but did subside and sank into his usual chair next to John’s.

‘I’m afraid we have disquieting news for you,’ Paul Davis began in his usual reserved and formal manner.  ‘As you all know, Agent Barrett and I, along with Dr Kusanagi, have been keeping a watch on some of the largest companies in the USA.  We’ve also kept an eye on other large corporations around the world, knowing the leaders of such businesses are of likely to be of interest to the Trust if not actual Trust members.  Dr Kusanagi has been particularly helpful with some of her…’ he paused for a moment searching for a word.  ‘Shall we call them her less ethical talents?’

‘She’s been hacking their computers,’ Rodney stated baldly.  ‘Call it what it is, Colonel Davis.  We’re dealing with alien lifeforms who want to take over our planet.’

‘And are they succeeding?’ Patrick asked.  ‘I’m aware I’m new to your deliberations, gentlemen, but I have what might be termed a personal interest in the subject as my eldest son has almost certainly become host to one of these alien lifeforms.’

Seeing the exchange of looks between Davis and Barrett made Richard’s heart sink like a stone.  ‘I’ve just advised Jack, John, and Patrick that I suspect the two new IOA reps from France and China have become hosts,’ he told the two men.  ‘I’m pretty certain the two former reps, LaPierre and Xiaoyi have also been ‘snaked’, as Jack calls it, as well.’

‘I suppose it explains their determination to get into the SGC back in July,’ John commented.

‘I believe – _we_ believe, that the contagion if I might term it so, has spread into several foreign corporations and conglomerates,’ Davis admitted, a grim look on his face.  ‘Furthermore, we suspect several people at Area 51 have become hosts, too.’

There was silence in the briefing room while the other men digested this information.

‘It would also explain how Xiaoyi knew about the Asgard improvements to Prometheus.’  Jonas Quinn spoke for the first time.

‘Scientists or military?’ Rodney asked suddenly.

‘Both, Dr McKay.’

‘Teal’c, have you been near Radek Zelenka since he arrived here?’ Rodney asked.

‘I have not, Dr McKay.’

Rodney tapped his radio.  ‘McKay to Zelenka. Can you come up to the briefing room, Radek?  Something’s come up.’  He listened for a moment.  ‘No, you fuzzy haired Czech, now!  Walter’s brought some of the speciality coffee in and I’ve reserved a carafe for myself I might be willing to share.’  He tapped his radio again and looked around at the men watching him.  ‘What?  I know the way to a scientist’s heart.  And if they’ve snaked Zelenka…  Well.  I’ll be very cross.’

They had to wait barely five minutes, minutes passed in silence, although John did leave the room for a moment, returning with a Zat’nik’tel in his hand, and he and Teal’c stationed themselves at either side of the doorway.  There was a tap on the door which then opened, and Radek entered carrying a large mug.  He hardly spared a glance for John and Teal’c but hurried to the table and held out his cup to Rodney.

‘First, the coffee, then we will discuss the problem which you need me to solve.’

The other men turned to look at Teal’c who shook his head.  There were a series of sighs of relief.

Radek looked at them curiously.  ‘Has something happened?’

Rodney stumbled to his feet and, much to Radek’s surprise, hugged him.  ‘No, you Czech bastard, nothing’s happened.’

Radek patted Rodney’s shoulder and freed himself from his friend’s arms.  ‘I am fond of you, Rodney, but not in the manner of Colonel Sheppard.  Now, fill my cup and tell me how I might help you.’

‘I’m sorry to alarm you, Radek,’ John began, retaking his seat and laying the Zat on the table in front of him.  ‘Colonel Davis has just informed us that several people at Area 51 have been implanted with symbiotes.  We were concerned you might be amongst them.’

Shock flickered across Radek’s face and he gripped the back of Rodney’s chair.  ‘Do you know who?’

‘Colonel Davis was about to tell us, but I needed to check on you, first,’ Rodney told him and glanced at Jack.  ‘Can Radek join us, General?  He knows the people at Area 51 far better than anyone else here.’

‘Take a seat, Dr Zelenka, and join us with pleasure.  I don’t have to remind you that everything said in this room is strictly confidential?’

‘I lived on the other side of the Iron Curtain until 1994, General O’Neill.  I am more than capable of keeping dangerous secrets.’

‘How did you come to leave the Czech Republic?’ Patrick asked while Zelenka made himself comfortable.

‘I was helped to escape by a courageous man, Dr Sheppard, since my government wished to keep me to work only for their behalf.  After my mother died in early 1994, they ceased to have any hold over me and I was able to leave.  That same man arranged for me to take a postgraduate degree at Oxford University, thus enabling me to work in the West.’

‘You must be very grateful to your benefactor.  Do you still have contact with him?’

Radek grinned at Patrick.  ‘As little as possible physical contact, since I am afraid of your son, but yes, I am grateful to him although to tell him would only make his head grow larger.’

Patrick’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline and he opened his mouth to speak when Rodney butted in.

‘Yes, yes, we all know you barely escaped with your life.  Stop trying to be the centre of attention, Radek, and listen to what Colonel Davis has to say.’

‘Thank you, Dr McKay.  I was about to explain that we don’t have any firm information on numbers.  The only reason we know about Area 51 is an ME known to Homeworld Security did an autopsy on a Marine who died in a car crash in suspicious circumstances in Los Angeles.  The LA Operations Director of the Agency for whom he works is read into the Programme, and she contacted General Hammond when the ME found inexplicable wounds on the Marine’s neck, caused after his death.’

‘I assume you’re talking about Hetty Lange?’ Jack asked, doodling on his notepad.  ‘Was Ducky Mallard the ME?’

‘Yes, sir.  Miss Lange and Dr Mallard were able to prevent anyone else from learning that the Marine in question, based at Area 51, had become host to a symbiote.  Homeworld made a few discrete enquiries and, as I said, we think a number of personnel from there have been implanted, but we have no way of confirming how many and how far up the chain of command it goes.’

‘When was the autopsy performed?’

‘Two days ago.’

‘Is there any reason to suspect the crew of Prometheus might be affected?’ John asked.

Jack closed his eyes as though in pain.  ‘Jesus!  I hope not.  Do I need to get Teal’c to go check them out?  He’s the only one of us safe from being snaked.’

‘Wouldn’t that put him somewhat at risk, sir?’ Davis asked.  ‘We know from experience the Goa’uld are particularly dangerous when threatened, and it would also alert them to our suspicions.’

‘Damn it, Paul!  We can’t just let our friends and colleagues become hosts without trying to do _something._ ‘  Jack banged the table with his fist.

‘What if I invited Peter Kirkland out for a drink?’ John suggested, spinning a pencil between his fingers.  ‘It’s something we did occasionally when I was a member of the crew.  As long as Teal’c can clear him, we can explain our concerns and warn him to keep a watch.  And maybe also warn Colonel Pendergast to keep away from Area 51 for a while.  At least until we can confirm it’s clear of Goa’uld.’

‘I’m not sure if we’re going to be able to clear Area 51,’ Malcolm Barrett said quietly.  ‘Not if some of the more senior people have been affected.’

‘But you said yourself you didn’t know how far up it goes,’ Jack said, sharply.

‘Dr Zelenka?’ Richard asked.  ‘Do you have any thoughts on this?’

Radek frowned as he pondered the question.  ‘Within the scientists, I can bring to mind only two people who acted a little…out of character: Dr Martin Tusk from the Genetics Laboratory, and Dr Claire Rayne from Engineering with whom I worked quite closely until I came here.’

‘Claire Rayne?’  Rodney frowned.  ‘I recruited her. She worked here for a while but wasn’t comfortable being so far underground so I sent her to Nevada.  How was she acting?’

‘She became very…personal.  Asked me to have dinner with her which I should usually enjoy but…there was something uncomfortable about her request.’

‘I should think there was!  She’s been in a relationship with Dr Ann Porter for as long as I’ve known her.  They moved out to Nevada together.’

‘Then I think it’s safe to suggest that either one or both of them have been snaked,’ Jack said.  ‘Damn them all to fucking hell!’

‘Then I had, perhaps, a fortunate escape?’ Radek asked, shifting uncomfortably.  ‘Since I worked with her I should have seen how different she was, yes?’

‘Don’t blame yourself, Dr Z,’ Jack told him.  ‘If you didn’t know to look out for someone being snaked, you couldn’t have helped her.  They’re crafty bastards, all of them.’

‘What about Martin Tusk?’ Jonas asked.  ‘I don’t ever recall meeting him when I’ve visited Area 51.’

‘He was quiet man but friendly, except he has now become very curt and also often angry. Very much different to before.’

‘Sounds like another key candidate,’ John commented.   ‘Do we have any idea about the military out there?’

‘Well, given that Hank Landry heads up Area 51 I should think they’d be hard pressed to notice if he’d been snaked,’ Jack observed wryly.  ‘He’s always been a bastard as far as I know.’

This comment elicited the first humour in the briefing room for quite a while and relaxed the atmosphere a little.

‘I…’ Jonas paused, clearing searching for the way to say something.  ‘Am I the only who thinks this is all escalating very quickly?  It’s barely two months since Teal’c went missing and we first heard about the Trust.  Now we know two, possibly more, IOA members have been taken as hosts, and that several people at Area 51 are also affected, as well as David Sheppard and who knows how many other industrialists.  It’s spreading like a virus and I’m not sure we can contain it.  The best we can do is firebreak it.’  He paused as the other men looked at him.  ‘What?  Is ‘firebreak’ wrong?’

‘It’s actually a perfect analogy,’ Richard said quietly.  ‘I’m just not sure anyone here was ready to hear our problem laid out quite so clearly.  I know I wasn’t.’

‘We’d probably use ‘firefight’ rather than ‘firebreak’,’ Daniel suggested.  ‘But, as General Holland said, ‘firebreak’ is a very good analogy.  We can’t save the ones who’ve become hosts, but we can do our best to protect the others.’

‘Our main problem with that, as far as I can see,’ Rodney said slowly and deliberately, ‘is that we can’t protect six billion people.’

********

John duly invited Peter Kirkland to meet him for a drink, taking Teal’c, a cap pulled down firmly over his forehead, with him, along with Jack’s gift from Thor.  Kirkland looked at it curiously as John placed it next to his glass in the busy Lincoln, Nebraska bar they’d chosen to meet in.

‘Are you going to tell me what it is?  And why we’ve come to Nebraska of all places for a drink?’

‘Same reason for both of them, as well as why Teal’c’s joined us.  The Trust.’  John watched his friend closely for any reaction to the name of the group causing them so much trouble.

‘Trust?  Should I know what that is?’

‘Hopefully not, but you do know, Peter, that you can come to me about anything, don’t you?’

Kirkland sat back against the cushioned booth seat.  ‘Yeees?  Although I can’t think of anything that’d make you say that.  Am I under suspicion about something?’

‘No, leastways I hope not.  Do you remember the conversation we had when I first joined Prometheus?  About why the F-302 pilots are called the Snakeskinners?’

‘Not really, and I don’t know why they’re called Snakeskinners.  Only that General O’Neill named them.’

All John’s instincts told him Peter Kirkland could be trusted.  ‘Have you heard of the Goa’uld?’

‘Heard of them, yes.  Know exactly what they are?  No, I don’t.  Wasn’t Anubis a Goold?’

‘Goa’uld, yes.  They’re an alien parasitic, sentient species, much like a snake except for having a mouth which opens in four directions.  They take over a human body as a host and wrap themselves around the spine and nervous system with tendrils which go directly in to the brain.  They can then control both the thoughts and actions of the host.’

Peter’s face had screwed up increasingly as John spoke.  ‘Jesus, Sheppard!  Is this what you have to deal with at the SGC?  Thank Christ I’m on Prometheus!’

‘Shh.  Keep your voice down.  Our concern is that they’re spreading around Earth.  More and more people are becoming hosts and they’re difficult for humans to detect without special equipment unless they reveal themselves, like making a hosts’ eyes glow.  Teal’c here used to carry an immature symbiote in his…within him.  The Goa’uld use the Jaffa like a sort of…incubation chamber until the symbiote is developed enough to take a host.  He doesn’t carry one now but has retained his ability to sense them in other people.’

‘And you thought I might have become a Gooauld?’

‘Have become a host, yes.  It was a possibility.’

‘And you’re sure I’m not?’

‘Quite sure, Colonel Kirkland,’ Teal’c told him in his deep voice.

‘The same might not be quite so true of the rest of Prometheus’ crew, though,’ John explained.  ‘Any one of them might have been ‘snaked’ as Jack O’Neill calls it.’

‘Hence the Snakeskinners, I suppose.’

‘You were right with that, Peter.  He does have a bizarre sense of humour.’

‘Indeed.’

Peter glanced at Teal’c as he spoke.  ‘So, you want Teal’c to come onboard and check everyone?’

‘No, we can’t risk it.  They’re ruthless bastards and’ll kill or torture anyone in the blink of an eye if they suspect them of being a threat.  The SGC has a scanner the medics use to scan everyone who’s been off-world, and we want to give one to the infirmary onboard Prometheus.  Isn’t Dr Lam your new chief medic?’

‘Mmm.  She joined us a few weeks ago.  Her father’s the boss of Area 51 but they don’t get on.  Caroline hated being under his command so requested a move as soon as one became vacant.  She wanted the SGC really, but, with her qualifications, she wanted a senior post so she accepted Colonel Pendergast’s invitation to join us.’

‘I’ll make sure that she gets the scanner and knows how to use it,’ John promised, filing away his friend’s use of Lam’s first name.  ‘In the meantime, keep an eye out for anyone acting out of character, being aggressive, or argumentative.  If you see something, contact me, and we’ll meet up for another drink.’

‘Contact you and not Colonel Pendergast?’

John gave him a grim smile.  ‘Colonel Pendergast is as much at risk as anyone is, yourself included.  We know they’ve infiltrated Area 51, although not how deep. Jack – General O’Neill will be contacting Pendergast personally to warn him to keep away from Area 51 if at all possible, and to limit contact with people there if you do have to land.’

‘Jesus!  Just how far have the Goaald spread?’

‘We don’t know.  Far enough to worry us.  Some of the IOA for certain, a few businessmen.  We just don’t know how far they’ve gone, and it’s a major problem for us.  Your help will be invaluable; I promise you.’

 

##  **Chapter Ten**

‘You’ve got a mission in on Monday.’

John looked up to see Jack leaning in his usual position when disturbing him, against the doorjamb between their offices.  ‘Yes, to P2R 997.  Daniel worked out the address from one of the books Catherine Langford left him.’

Jack pressed his lips together.  ‘She was a huge part of the Programme in the early days.  Daniel – we _all,_ thought a lot of her.  She’ll be sadly missed.’

‘I never met her.’

‘I think she’d’ve liked you.  She had a thing for good looking young men.’

John laughed.  ‘I’d debate the good looking part, and I certainly don’t feel particularly young some days.  Decidedly old, in fact.’

‘Tell me about it.  Anyhoo, I wanted to suggest Patrick and I join you on your mission.  I want to introduce him to the galaxy.’

‘Dad?  Is he ready to go off-world?’

‘I suspect what you really mean is do you want the responsibility of taking him off-world.  I would be there as well, don’t forget.  And, yes, you would still be in charge.  Patrick and I just want to go along for the ride.’

‘I don’t want anything to happen to either of you, but what about the SGC?’

‘What about it?  It’ll still be here when we get back.’

‘First of all, that’s probably doomed everyone and everything, and secondly, you, me, Daniel, Lorne, _and_ McKay all off-world together?’

‘Good point.  We’ll leave Lorne behind.  Maybe McKay as well.’

‘That’s not gonna work.  Daniel thinks there might be Ancient ruins on P2R 997.  McKay’s never going to agree to be left behind.’

‘Then we leave Lorne and Quinn.  They could run the Mountain between them if push came to shove.’

‘I’m not sure the President would agree with you but I guess that’d work.  You and Dad have to agree to obey orders, though.’

‘Sir, yes, sir,’ Jack grinned, his expression similar to McKay’s when given a  new gadget with which to play.  ‘What time do we leave?’

‘1400.  Should be just after dawn according to Daniel.  Will you tell him the good news or shall I?’

‘Let me tell him, will you?  It’ll be just like old times.  The band’s back together.’  Jack disappeared back into his own office, whistling merrily.

********

Lorne didn’t look happy at being told he was to remain at base, but John suspected it was more to with the prospect of responsibility rather than annoyance at being left behind.

‘Lorne…Evan, if we don’t come back, it’s up to you to keep the SGC safe, understand?’

‘I’ll do my best, sir…John, but there’s a limit to what I can do.  I don’t have the rank.’

The ‘and aren’t likely to have it any time soon’ went unsaid between them.

‘General Hammond has written instructions from General O’Neill in case anything happens to him, even if I’m still here.  I have implicit trust in him to do the right thing for the programme, so don’t worry about that.  Besides, if I lose both my CO _and_ the CSO on the same mission, you’ll no doubt see another person in my seat, to say nothing of what my father might say.’

Lorne grinned – John’s primary objective.  ‘Is it true, then, what people are saying?’

John grinned at him.  ‘Oh, no, I’m not going there.  My father and I had an agreement as soon as I came of dating age.  He wouldn’t ask me awkward questions about who I was seeing if I afforded him the same respect.  What goes on in his bedroom is strictly his business.’

‘Fair enough.  I’d probably be the same; besides, it’s a well-known fact: parents don’t have sex, ever.’

John threw a paperclip at him.  ‘Get out of here, Major, and take your filthy mind with you.’

‘Sir, yes, sir.’  Lorne gave a jaunty wave as he closed the door behind himself.

_Christ!  Does everyone think my father’s…Urgh.  I need some brain bleach._

********

P2R 997 was much like Earth, with both similar gravity and similar light levels.  The remnants of SG-1, SG6, and their extras fanned out as they stepped down from the Stargate plinth.

‘Keep a lookout, everyone,’ John called.  ‘We don’t know who might live here or who might see it as their territory.  Stackhouse, keep guard here near the gate when we move out although I want Marsh with us.  Regular check-ins every twenty minutes.’

‘Twenty minutes?’ Jack asked with raised eyebrows.

‘Sir, Dr Jackson described you as a trouble-magnet the first time I met him.  Check-ins every twenty minutes.’

Stackhouse grinned.  ‘Don’t worry, sir, you can count on us.’

‘I’m getting an energy sign from the east,’ Rodney called.

‘How do you know which way is east?’ Patrick asked, looking around in interest.

‘Unless we know otherwise, due north is always in the direction we exit the Stargate,’ Daniel explained to him.  ‘We had to make an arbitrary decision soon after we began exploring the galaxy.  It has the added benefit of confusing anyone else monitoring our comms, as the Goa’uld are wont to do on occasion.’

‘A lot of them have worked out what we mean by now, though,’ Jack added, joining Patrick and Daniel while still looking around.  ‘I’d forgotten what I buzz I get from exploring off-world.  Must make sure to keep my hand in, in future.’

‘Let’s get this mission safely over with before you go making any plans,’ John told him, coming towards them.  ‘McKay, get over here and tell us where we need to go.’

‘I’ve already told you.  East of the Stargate.’

‘How far?’

Rodney tilted his head on one side.  ‘Bout two miles?’

‘Teal’c?  Anything we should be concerned about?’

‘I can see no traces of anyone having visited here recently, Colonel Sheppard, and no signs of large animals.’

‘Okay then.  I’ll take point, Rodney, you come behind me, then Daniel, then Dad and General O’Neill.  Teal’c, cover our six will you?’

Teal’c inclined his head and raised his staff weapon to waist level.  Both Jack and Patrick had been equipped with MP7 submachine guns and P14 pistols, like the others, although Jack was heard to lament the P90 he used to carry.  Both had also been ordered by John to ensure they could pass the Marine weapons qualification before he’d agree to take them off-world and, even though Jack grumbled on principal, he’d privately admitted to Patrick that he approved the instruction.  It was several months since he’d regularly gone off-world and in a tight situation it made sense that everyone could protect themselves, and the others, if necessary.

‘Do the scientists have to pass the same test?’ Patrick called to Rodney as they walked along.

‘Yes, to Marksmanship level at least,’ Rodney replied, dropping back to walk with Patrick.  ‘They’re all taught to take apart, clean, and reassemble their weapon too, and they’re not allowed off-world until they can pass the requirements of the test.  I think me being able to pass it made a few decide they could do it as well.  Never underestimate the importance of rivalry within an academic community, although you’ll have had some experience of that yourself, won’t you, _Dr_ Sheppard?’

‘John has worked hard to raise the weapons competency of the scientists since he joined us,’ Jack added as Patrick scowled at McKay.  ‘They’ve both cursed and thanked him when they’ve been off-planet, though, Janet Fraiser in particular.  If she hadn’t been forced to take the course John created, under great protest, I might add, she might have been badly injured, or worse, on one particular occasion when treating someone off-planet.  The course doesn’t just teach them how to fire and look after a gun, but to anticipate dangerous situations and how to act in them.’

‘Isn’t Dr Fraiser Air Force, though?’ Patrick asked curiously.  ‘I would have thought she’d have had to pass such a test as part of her training.’

‘Air Force medics don’t have to take the weapons part unless they’re due to be posted overseas.  Since Janet has always worked within the borders of the US, she hadn’t had to qualify.  John argued that off-planet was as dangerous, if not more so, than a posting to Iraq or Afghanistan, hence she was forced to qualify if she wanted to be allowed off the base in a combat situation.’

‘Let’s pick the pace up, people,’ John called back, the tips of his ears coloured red, confirming Patrick’s suspicion that he’d overheard much of their conversation.  ‘Less talk, more forward motion.’

‘Sir, yes, sir,’ Patrick muttered, making Jack laugh.

They reached the place Rodney was looking for within twenty-five minutes, and Rodney pulled out his scanner to pinpoint the energy signal.  Patrick, who was very interested in the scanner, in a commercial sense at least, watched him for a moment then looked around. They’d come to a sudden outcrop of rock that appeared a little incongruous given the trees and meadows they’d passed through to reach this point.  John obviously shared his thoughts.

‘The one time we could have used Lorne’s geology degree, and we’ve left him at home.’

Rodney mumbled something under his breath which Patrick couldn’t make out, but which caused John to cuff the back of his head lightly.

‘Hey.  Quit with the insults, especially as Lorne’s not here to defend himself.’

‘First of all, ow,’ Rodney complained, rubbing the back of his head, ‘and secondly, geology _is_ a soft science.  There’re no real experiments to make or hypotheses to test.  Rock either is or isn’t.  There’s no middle ground.’

‘And while I hate to agree with McKay, on principle, I think he’s right,’ Jack commented, surveying the outcrop of rock.  ‘And my geological conclusion is that this rock isn’t.’

‘Isn’t what?’ Daniel asked.  ‘Be a bit more specific, Jack.’

‘Isn’t rock.  At least not all of it is, and I doubt it’s a natural outcrop.  I’m getting a…a tickle in the back of my mind.’

‘Me too,’ John agreed and stepped closer to the outcrop and began poking at it.  Jack did the same in a different area.

Patrick watched them for a moment, a frown on his face as he examined what he was feeling in his own mind, then he moved around the outcrop and ran his fingers over a particular section.  Much to his shock, a doorway appeared and slowly opened.  ‘What the…’

‘Dad?  Are you alright?’  John appeared around the side quickly followed by the others.  ‘You’ve found the entrance!  How did you do that?’

Patrick had stepped back from the doorway and was observing it.  ‘I don’t know how I did it.  Something just seemed to…call to me.’

‘We are all complete idiots,’ Rodney suddenly announced.  ‘Nobody ever thought to check Dr Sheppard for the ATA gene, did they?  And given John’s particularly strong gene, we should have thought to test his father.’

‘Test?  Test what?’ Patrick demanded.  ‘What’s an ATA gene and why has John got a strong one?’

‘One of our geneticists discovered a particular strand in DNA which allows someone to activate Ancient technology,’ Daniel explained to Patrick.  ‘John’s expression of the gene is especially strong and, as Rodney says, we should have thought to test you.’

‘The Ancients are the Gate Builders, right?’ Patrick asked.

‘Yes, and the notes I found in one of Catherine Langford’s books suggested that we might find Ancient remains on this planet.’

‘We went over this at the briefing, Dr Sheppard,’ Rodney pointed out.  ‘Don’t you…Ah.  You missed the briefing didn’t you?’

‘I was taking my weapons test.  And Rodney, please, call me Patrick.  I rarely use my title, and you are John’s partner in any case.’

Rodney nodded and gave him a quick smile, then turned back to the doorway.  ‘Can we go in now?’

‘No, Rodney, you know the rules,’ John told him.  ‘You wait outside until we’ve checked it out.’

‘Nobody’s been near this planet for hundreds of years, maybe thousands.’

‘We can’t be sure about that.  Wait here with the others while Teal’c and I check it out.’

‘This is such a waste of time,’ Rodney muttered quietly.

‘The rules are there for a purpose, McKay,’ Jack advised him.  ‘Tried and tested, you know that.’

Rodney glared at him but stayed where he was as John and Teal’c disappeared inside the structure.

‘Are many Ancient remains camouflaged like this?’ Patrick asked.

‘Most of the ones we’ve found so far in this galaxy,’ Daniel replied.  ‘Apart from vast complexes like the Outpost on Earth and Proclarush Taonas.’

‘Always makes me think of Procol Harum,’ Jack commented idly, looking around, hands firmly on his MP7.

‘Procol Harum?’ Daniel repeated.  ‘What does that mean?’

”S a band from the sixties.  Whiter Shade of Pale?’

‘Jack, what are you talking about?  _What’s_ a whiter shade of pale?  It doesn’t even make sense.’

Patrick grinned as Jack rolled his eyes.  It was a long time since he’d been around people who made him laugh and have fun.  In fact, despite his eldest son being taken over by a parasitic snake – or similar – and taking over his company, he’d not enjoyed himself so much for years.  Being an Industrial Mogul wasn’t all it was cracked up to be and he wasn’t missing SI and the business world at all. His thoughts were brought back to the present by the reappearance of his younger son and Teal’c.

‘All clear,’ John announced.  ‘Air’s a bit stale but some sort of air circulation’s come on and it’s getting better.  Keep an eye on the air quality with your gadget, though, Rodney.  Corporal Marsh, you’re to remain on watch here in case our radios don’t work in the facility.  Keep in contact with Stackhouse and let us know the moment there’s any trouble.’

‘Expecting trouble?’ Patrick murmured.

‘If there’s one thing we’ve learned about travelling off-world,’ Jack told him, ‘it’s that there’s always trouble, no matter the circumstances.’

Patrick raised his eyebrows at this but didn’t say anything and just fell into line as they entered the Ancient facility.  The corridor they entered sloped downhill for a hundred yards or so until they came to a second door, now standing open.  One by one the men entered a large room with a bank of slightly tilted machines to one side which reminded Patrick of a number of pinball games – without the balls and targets.  Rodney was already trying to connect his laptop to the machines, swearing softly to himself.  Eventually, he opened one of the panels underneath it and called John to come and help connect a cable.

‘Your skinny ass will fit in that tight space.  The Ancients must all have been pigmy bean-sticks going on what I’ve seen of their equipment in the few short hours I was able to spend at the Outpost,’ he said, with a scowl at Jack.

Jack rolled his eyes in reply.

‘What’s all this do?’ Patrick asked, nodding towards the metal walls covered in strange, geometric designs.

‘The Ancient Outpost is filled with similar wall engravings,’ Daniel explained.  ‘They were a race very invested in creating beautiful, as well as functional equipment.  The control chair is a stunning mixture of Remy Macintosh and Arts and Crafts design, with a little alienness thrown in.’

Jack overheard Daniel’s description and came over.  ‘Alienness?  Is that a style of its own?’

Daniel glared at him.  ‘I’ve not missed going off-world with you, Jack.  There’s been far less of my time spent in jail or fighting in general since you were promoted.’

‘Hey!’ Jack protested.  ‘I always made sure we escaped or were rescued.  Eventually.’

‘You neglected to mention that part to me, O’Neill,’ Patrick told him.  ‘Should I prepare myself to be imprisoned?’

Jack grinned at him.  ‘I had to leave somethings for you to find out for yourself.  It’s no fun if I tell you everything.’

‘Fun!’ Daniel repeated.  ‘Being beaten up and then locked up?  If that’s your definition of a good time, Jack…’  He shook his head and went to examine the engravings closer.

John squeezed out from the depths of the Ancient computer terminal and glanced over at him.  ‘You okay, Daniel?’

‘Mmmm,’ he replied, running his fingers over the engravings.  ‘John?  Can you come over here and feel this?’

Patrick saw Jack open his mouth to make some comment and nudged him, shaking his head.  He had a pretty good idea of what was irritating the good Doctor Jackson but had no idea how to deal with it.  He’d been led to understand that Daniel was well and truly straight, in sexual terms at least, but what was coming off him in waves was pure jealousy.  Patrick mentally shrugged his shoulders and went to look at what Jackson was showing John.  Maybe something would occur to him later, but in the meantime, he needed to stop Jack from teasing Daniel.

‘What am I looking for?’ John asked, peering closely at the wall.

‘I think…I think these engravings mean something.  Look at this spiral here.’ Daniel pointed to a mass of swirls and circles.  ‘They seem to lead into this set of triangles.’

‘Looks like a kid’s got loose with a—Ow!’  Jack glared at Patrick.  ‘That was my foot!’

‘So sorry.  I didn’t see it there.’

Jack gave him a considering look and, thankfully, kept quiet.  Patrick resolved to drop a hint to him later on.  If something was happening between them, he didn’t want Jack to alienate any of his former team.  From the sound of things, Carter had already left Earth because Jack was a blind, clueless idiot.  _Luckily, I happen to like blind, clueless idiots._

John was watching their interactions carefully and Patrick grinned at him.  _Nothing to see here, move along, kid._

He looked at the area Daniel was indicating and tipped his head to one side.  ‘They’re not leading to the triangles, Dr Jackson.  They’re leading over here.’  He traced a particular line towards a swirling mass and stopped.  ‘There’s a tiny lump here.  John!  Come and feel it!’

John wandered over and put his hand over his father’s and rubbed gently.  ‘There is something here.  Rodney!  Get over here and look at this.’

‘Busy!’ Rodney called in a sing-song voice.  ‘I’ve got into the main files and… _Holy Crap_!’

They all swung round in an instant and John hurried over to him.  ‘What’s happened?  What is it?’

‘Huh?  No, no, no, no, nothing’s _wrong_.  Quite the opposite, in fact.’  He looked up, his eyes shining.  ‘This is a research outpost.’

‘Yeees?  What of it?’

‘No, no, you don’t understand.  This is a research outpost for studying power.’  Rodney waited, clearly expecting some response from them, then sighed and shook his head.  ‘Am I the only one with a brain today?’

‘Hey!’ John began, but Rodney carried on talking over him.

‘It’s for researching power.  Power sources?’  He looked around for a reaction which clearly wasn’t coming.  ‘ZPM research?  Remember? The pretty crystal units with the power strength of over a hundred nuclear reactors?’

Their reactions were now everything for which he could have hoped.

‘It’ll tell you how to make a ZPM?’ John demanded.

‘I think so, yes.’

‘Think?’ questioned O’Neill.  ‘You’re not sure?’

‘I’ve only just got into the system so forgive me if I haven’t instantly learned everything there is to know about ZPMs, but, yes, I _think_ the instructions of how to make them will be in here.’  He gave a mega-watt sized grin of pure happiness.  ‘We need to get Miko and Zelenka out here.  We need to get a whole team out here to go over everything it can tell us, in fact.’  He gave a sudden smirk.  ‘Carter will be so pissed that she wasn’t here for this!  I can’t wait to tell her.’  He rubbed his hands together in glee, then froze.  ‘We can dial the gate for Atlantis now! We can rescue them if they need rescuing.  We can—’

‘Hold on.’  Jack held up a hand.  ‘I thought we could dial the gate with one of your mini-ZPMs?’

Rodney glared at him, again.  ‘Do you _ever_ listen to what I tell you?  Both Zelenka and I explained they’d only power an intergalactic gate once.  They’re three or four times the power of a naquadah generator but nowhere near the power of a real honest-to-goodness ZPM.’

‘Then why call them mini-ZPMs?’

‘Because they follow the same maths,’ Patrick cut in unexpectedly.  ‘Rodney explained it to me, and, given sufficient time, he and Zelenka will be able to create their own ZPMs.’

‘Given time.  How much time?’

‘ _I_ don’t know,’ Rodney snapped.  ‘Years, probably, but it doesn’t matter now.’

‘No, wait, wait.’  Jack was frowning.  ‘I thought the mini-ZPM was supposed to be an amazing accomplishment.  Now you’re saying it’s just a tiny step towards a ZPM?’

‘Jack.’  Patrick focused on him.  ‘It _is_ an amazing accomplishment.  If Rodney and Radek were allowed to publish their findings, they’d most certainly win a Nobel for it.  There’s no doubt about that whatsoever, but they were very clear.  It’s _not_ a ZPM, although the work they’ve done will _lead_ to making a ZPM in time.  I can only follow the basics of it, and I have a doctorate in Maths.  Don’t ever think your scientists aren’t worth every cent you pay them because they are.  I would pay millions of dollars for just a _day_ of their time for Sheppard Industries if I ever take back control of it.’

‘I might hold you to that,’ Rodney told him, a glimmer of a smile on his face, then turned back to O’Neill.  ‘With the information, and probably the equipment here, we won’t _have_ to wait years.  We can create our own ZPMs as soon as we’ve got this place up and running.  We’ll probably be able to recharge the empty ones here, too.  _Now_ , do you understand?’

‘I understand we’re going to need to keep tight security here,’ Jack returned.  ‘Only your most trusted people here, and a whole platoon of Marines to guard them at all times.  News of this must not leak out to _anyone_.  Imagine if the IOA discovered we could create ZPMs.  Christ! It doesn’t bear thinking about.’

‘What do you need, Rodney?’ John asked, ever practical.  ‘Can you copy any of the information now?’

‘I’ll copy what I can, but there’s years of work here.  It’ll take months to go through the index alone, never mind the details.’

‘Then do that just in case we can’t get back here.’

‘What do you mean not get back?’  Rodney’s face expressed the panic he was undoubtedly feeling.  ‘John!  This is the biggest find the SGC has ever made!  Probably the biggest find ever after the existence of the Stargates.  We can’t _not_ come back.’

‘That’s not what I’m saying.  I’m just suggesting you copy as much as you can in case someone else finds this place.’

‘I don’t think that’ll happen,’ Daniel told him.  ‘I think this place has been forgotten about for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.  I doubt anyone else knows about it.’

‘ _Someone_ did.  Enough to write down the gate address in a book,’ Jack pointed out.

‘Catherine’s books were hundreds of years old.  Whoever wrote them is long gone.  We’re perfectly safe.’  Daniel looked around at the chorus of groans which greeted his comment.  ‘What?’

‘You have cast a jinx upon us all, Daniel Jackson.’

********

After a quick discussion, Marsh was sent back to the gate to radio the SGC for Zelenka and Miko to come to the planet, along with two dozen Marines.

‘Don’t forget to tell Radek to bring all the memory sticks he can find,’ Rodney shouted as John went to give Marsh his instructions.

‘I’ll come and keep guard outside with you, John,’ Jack offered, following him.  ‘Our radios don’t work down here.  Teal’c?  You guard the three doctors, right?  You’re our last line of defence for the moment.’

‘I shall guard them with my life, O’Neill.’

Patrick watched Jack and John leave the large room and Teal’c position himself by the inner door.

‘Don’t worry,’ Daniel told him.  ‘They’ll be perfectly safe.  As I said, no one’s been here for hundreds of years.’

‘Tell me some more about the Ancients, will you?’ Patrick asked him.  ‘How come John and I have the ATA gene?’

Daniel began to give a long explanation about the Ancients leaving the Milky Way to go to Pegasus and then returning which Patrick listened to with only a part of his brain.  The other part was busy working out how to broach the subject of his and Jack’s burgeoning friendship with Daniel, and he gave a start when his other son was mentioned.

‘Sorry, I missed that.  What did you say about David?’

‘I said it would be interesting to see if David has the gene too,’ Daniel repeated, giving Patrick an odd look.

Patrick gave him a wry smile.  ‘I doubt that’ll happen soon.’

‘Aren’t you interested in getting your company back.’

‘I…Huh.  I’m pretty sure I’d’ve said _like a shot_ just after I was rescued, but now, I’m not so sure.  Regardless of the whole being drugged and married without my consent stuff, I’ve not enjoyed myself as much as I am now, for…well, for a long time.’

‘Didn’t you enjoy Sheppard Industries?’

‘Not for a while now, I suspect.’

‘Why?’

_Why?  Good question._

‘I…I think it stopped being fun after John left.  And despite discovering that David lied to both of us, and played us off against each other, the original argument was all my fault.  I didn’t want John to go into the military.’

‘Why not?  You did.’

‘Because…You know what?  I’m not sure anymore.  All he wanted to do was fly.  From being six years old all he _ever_ wanted to do was fly, so it wasn’t news to me.  I’d known for years.  _I_ wanted him to join David and me in SI though.  I had his career all planned out but never once stopped to ask him what _he_ wanted, even though he told me, numerous times.  As did his Godfather, Francis Haigh.  You’ve met him, I think.’

‘Just after you were rescued, briefly.  I had a mission with SG-9 to examine some ruins they’d found so wasn’t at the meeting with him.  John appears fond of him, though.’

‘It’s reciprocated, I know.  In fact, Francis stayed in touch with him while John and I were estranged.  John asked him not to discuss him with me, though, so he refused to answer any of the questions I asked, and eventually, we stopped seeing much of each other.  I lost both my son and my best friend.’

‘But things are okay now?’

‘With John or with Francis?’

‘Both?  Either?’

‘Francis and I are fine.  I always understood he needed to keep John’s trust.  I thought it meant John always had someone to depend on; I didn’t know they’d fallen out of touch after John was posted to Afghanistan.’

‘And you and Jack?’  Daniel grinned at the look of shock on Patrick’s face.  ‘I’m fine with it, you know.’

‘I wasn’t sure if you were.’

‘I never saw Jack as a potential partner, if that’s what you’re worried about. In fact, I’m glad if that’s the direction the pair of you are heading in.  I might be a little jealous over the time you spend together, time he and I used to spend together but I’ll get over it.  He deserves someone of his own.’

‘It’s in the very, early stages as yet.  It might go nowhere.’

‘But at least you’ll have tried, right?

The reappearance of John and Jack saved Patrick from answering, but he made a mental note to remind Jack not to forget his former team.  Teal’c probably missed spending time with him as well.

‘Are Miko and Radek coming?’ Rodney demanded.

‘As soon as they’re geared up and’ve collected everything you want,’ John replied.  ‘Along with a whole platoon of Marines, but remember, they’re here to guard you, not fetch and carry for you.’

Rodney mumbled something Patrick couldn’t quite make out.

‘And you’re going to need to decide who else can come here from the Sciences.  You three can’t do it all yourselves.’

‘Why not?  Radek and Miko are the only ones I trust not to screw something up.’

‘Rodney, you can’t keep all the toys for yourself, and you can’t stay out here for weeks, or even for days on end.  The Marines are bringing equipment for overnight, but everyone gets rotated out after forty-eight hours, understand?’

‘Forty-eight hours!  Who decided that?’

‘I did.  It’s long enough to be somewhere with no toilets or running water.’

‘Pfft.  I don’t need toilets or running water, and if the Marines do…well, they’re weaker than I thought.  What happened to days and even weeks in a war zone?’

‘This isn’t a war zone, McKay,’ Jack cut in.  ‘I agree with John.  Forty-eight hours here followed by twenty-four back at the SGC.  Take it or leave it.’

‘What?  I’m the only person that can probably understand this information.’  He waved a hand at the bank of Ancient computers.

‘Forty-eight hours here and twenty-four at home,’ John ordered.  ‘Or I’ll send Bill Lee out here to take charge _and_ come and drag you home myself.’

Patrick was sure the squawk this elicited could be heard back on Earth.

 

 

 

##  **Chapter Eleven**

John tapped on Jack’s office door and peered around it.

‘I’m going to P2R 997 to drag McKay back by the scruff of his neck,’ he announced to his CO.  ‘He’s six hours overdue.  Wanna join me?’

Jack looked up and grinned.  ‘Hell, yes!  Anything’s got to be better than this crap.’  He waved a hand at the accounts he was trying to understand.  ‘I need to get your father to talk me through these.  I’m pretty sure the Appropriations Committee is trying to screw us.  Is he joining us?’

‘Why?  So the pair of you can hold hands?’

‘Hey!  It was only the once and we didn’t know you were walking behind us.  I’ve walked in on you and McKay with your tongues down each other’s throats before today.’

‘In my private office!’

‘Which leads out of mine!  Anyway, I thought you were okay with me and Patrick…you know.’

‘Being okay with it is one thing; seeing it with my own eyes is quite another.  Do you want to come or not?’

Jack glanced down at his accounts then back up again.  ‘I’m in.  Should I call Patrick?’

‘I’m already geared up.’  Patrick nudged John aside and cuffed his head as he passed.

‘Ow!  What was that for?’

‘Talking about me behind my back.  Don’t do it again.’

John grinned at his father, pleased to have him back in his life even though they both knew there were long conversations they needed to have together.  _I didn’t realise how much I missed him_.

Patrick accompanied them as Jack and John went to gear up.  ‘I thought Lorne was on P2R 997?  How can you both go off-world?’

‘Colonel Everett is back from leave,’ John told him, shrugging into his Kevlar vest.  ‘We’re leaving him in charge.’

‘Dillon Everett?  Doesn’t he outrank you?  Why are you 2IC and not him?’

‘Because the SGC – and Area 51 for that matter – is an Air Force Base, not Marine,’ Jack explained.  ‘It’s caused some arguments in the past, I can tell you, but the Pentagon has now accepted it and John’s the second-ranking AF on Base.  He gets to be my 2IC.’

‘But not if you’re both away?’

‘Not if it’s a temporary thing.  If both John and I die then the Air Force would bring in someone new.  They’re not going to give up the SGC, not for anyone.  Well, not unless they’re forced to,’ he added.  ‘Right.  I’m ready.’

‘Wait, wait,’ a voice called out and Daniel Jackson burst through the door.  ‘I’m coming!’

‘Danny?’ Jack demanded.  ‘Why are you coming?  I thought there was nothing else there to interest you?’

‘I remembered last night that we never got to investigate the wall thingy.’

‘What wall thingy?’

Daniel’s head appeared through his sweater.  ‘Don’t you remember?  Just before Rodney announced the ZPM thing, Dr Sheppard found a knob on the wall.  We never looked at it again.’

Jack screwed up his face and shook his head.  ‘Nope.  Don’t remember any knobs.’

John smirked and Patrick swatted his head, again.  ‘I do.  A little lump in the engraving, right?’

Daniel nodded his head furiously as he struggled into his vest.  ‘Yes, yes, that’s it.  I want to take some more video footage of the walls and have a closer look at the lump.  There might be something there.’

John checked them over and led the way to the embarkation room.  ‘What sort of something, Daniel?’

‘I don’t know.  Could be anything.  I want to check it out, though.  I heard in the mess you were going today and came straight away.  _Why_ are you going?’

‘McKay,’ John answered, succinctly.  ‘He was due back at 0900 Mountain time.  I’m going to drag his ass back home.  Dial it up, Walter,’ he called to the control room, and watched as the gate dialled.  When the final lock was in place and their passage confirmed to Jason Markham, currently in charge of gate defence on P2R 977, John waved a hand to his companions.  ‘Move out.’

********

They emerged into the first light of dawn and to twelve weapons pointed at them from the various security emplacements and nests the detail had built around the Stargate.

‘Stand down,’ Markham called out and the troops manning the twelve positions relaxed.  ‘We weren’t expecting you today, sirs.’

‘Just rounding up errant scientists,’ John told him, stepping down from the plinth.  ‘Any problems?’

‘Nothing, sir.  Quiet as a mouse.  I’m beginning to think Dr Jackson was right and this place has been forgotten about.’

‘Stay sharp, we can’t know that,’ Jack ordered, glancing down the path they needed to take.  ‘Wish we had a Jeep or something to use off-planet,’ he muttered in an undertone.

Daniel laughed.  ‘You’ve been saying that since the first time we went through the gate.’

‘And still nobody’s done anything about it.  We could easily get a few Jeeps down to level 28.’

‘And all the diesel we’d need to run them?’

‘It might not be straight forward, but all I’m saying is, we could manage it if we tried.’

John and Patrick looked at each other, grinned, and fell into step behind them.

‘Sounds as though this is an old argument,’ Patrick said in a low voice, making John laugh.

‘It is, although Jack’s right.  It could be useful at times; if there’s an injury, for instance.  Could mean the difference between life and death.’

‘I’m surprised McKay hasn’t come up with anything yet.’

‘Not for lack of being asked, that’s for sure.  Jack tables it a couple of times a year, I understand.’

They walked in silence for a while then Patrick glanced at him.

‘You’re happy here, aren’t you, son?’

‘Very happy.  Why?’

Patrick shrugged.  ‘No real reason.  I thought about it when Daniel asked me about going back to SI when we were here a couple of weeks ago.’

‘And?’

‘And I’m not sure if I can be bothered.  Oh, don’t get me wrong,’ Patrick added at John’s look of surprise.  ‘I know we need to get David freed from whatever it is controlling him, be it a Goa’uld or a threat of some sort.  I’ve only waited this long because both Colonel Davis and Agent Barrett asked me to hold off until we had a clearer picture of the situation.  I’m just not sure I want to go back to the life I had before all this.’  He waved his hand around.  ‘I semi-retired in 2001 when I turned sixty,’ he explained.  ‘I cut down my hours spent at the office and handed most of the day to day running of SI to David.  Trouble is, I was bored.  I’d spent so much of my life wrapped up in SI that I’d forgotten how to relax and do something else.’

John glanced at him from the corner of his eye and took note of the frown on his father’s face, mostly absent for the two months he’d spent at the SGC.  ‘So what did you do?’

‘The first thing I did was to complete my PhD.  I’d been ABD for several years and my dissertation was almost finished, so I took the time to finish it properly.’

‘And your dissertation?’

Patrick shot him a grin.  ‘Computational Aspects of Cryptography and Cryptanalysis. ‘

John raised his eyebrows.  ‘Wow.  Has Rodney recruited you yet?’

Patrick nodded.  ‘How do you think I’ve been earning my keep in the Mountain?  He’s got me working with Alistair Fellowes to develop provable security.  For the SGC initially, but with the aim of developing it to package and market.  It’s something SI had been looking at, but we couldn’t find the right people to help us develop it which was frustrating.  Turns out they’d all been recruited by McKay and were either at the SGC or Area 51.’

John laughed.  ‘Sooner or later someone’s going to ask where all the top scientists disappear to.’

‘Oh, they’re already asking that, believe me, but so far you’ve managed to keep the SGC and its people a secret. God knows how.’  He gave John a sly smile.  ‘I’ve shared mine with you, only fair that you return the favour.’

‘I’m going to kill McKay.’

Patrick gave a guffaw of laughter causing Jack and Daniel to turn around.

‘What’s happened?’ Jack demanded, looking around, his gun held at waist height ready to fire if necessary.

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,’ Patrick told him.  ‘John was just cursing out McKay for telling me about his doctoral dissertation.’

‘Which one?’ Daniel asked.  ‘He’s got three PhDs.’

‘Not McKay’s, John’s dissertation.’

Jack nodded while Daniel looked at John curiously.

‘I didn’t know you were working for a PhD.’

‘ _No_ one’s supposed to know.  I asked McKay to keep it quiet but he clearly can’t keep his mouth shut.’

‘That’s a bit harsh, John,’ Daniel frowned.  ‘He probably didn’t understand that you wanted to keep it quiet.  What’s your dissertation on?’

‘Oh, he knew alright.’

‘And?’

John heaved a deep sigh realising he wasn’t going to escape telling them.  ‘Number theory and how it relates to cryptography and data integrity.’

Patrick raised his eyebrows.  ‘So, very similar to what I’m doing?’

John nodded.  ‘Probably why McKay couldn’t keep his mouth shut.’

Their discussion had so engrossed them they hadn’t noticed either the time or distance they’d covered until a Marine suddenly stepped out onto the path and saluted.

‘Morning, sirs.’

‘Lt Cadman.  I didn’t realise you were out here,’ Jack commented, returning the salute.

Cadman grinned at him.  ‘Colonel Sheppard thought it a good training ground to test our surveillance and defence capabilities.  You’ve just stepped on a landmine, sir.’

Jack jumped back in shock while John shook his head and scowled at her.  ‘Behave yourself, Cadman, or I’ll have you on KP!  Don’t worry, sir.  I told them they couldn’t use live ammunition in their war games.’

O’Neill nodded to Cadman.  ‘Carry on, Lieutenant.  Good job.’

John nodded to her as they passed and overheard her Captain, hidden in the undergrowth with the rest of her platoon, telling her off.

‘ _You’ve got the cheek of the devil, Cadman.  If you spoke to someone in the big USMC like that they’d have you up on a charge_.’

‘Big USMC?’ Patrick asked John in a low voice.

‘Outside the SGC.  You’ll hear Big Air Force used as well.’

‘No Big Navy?’

‘You’re the only Naval man we’ve got.’

As the facility came into sight, John quickened his steps and went straight past Lorne and the detail on guard to find McKay.  Jack, Patrick, and Daniel followed at a more leisurely pace but were in time to hear McKay’s squawk of pain as John grabbed his ear.

‘Ow, ow, ow, ow ow!  What’re you doing?  Let _go_!’

‘Forty-eight hours followed by a minimum of twenty-four back at base.  I did warn you, McKay!’  John tugged him away from his computer and finally let go.  He folded his arms and watched McKay rub his ear, a grim expression on his face.  ‘Well?  What’ve you got to say for yourself?’

‘Ow?’

‘McKay,’ John growled warningly.

‘Alright, alright.  I just wanted to finish something we were doing.’  A note of glee crept into his voice.  ‘We did it, John.  We really did it.’

‘Did what?’

‘We recharged one of the empty ZPMs.  Not fully, not yet, but it’s about sixty per cent filled.’

‘I didn’t know you were ready to begin recharging, yet.  Did I miss an email?’

Rodney immediately looked a little shifty and glanced over to Zelenka who’d returned to the outpost the previous day to relieve McKay.  ‘I…umm…we…’

‘Was my idea, Colonel,’ Zelenka held up a hand.  ‘I brought one of the empty ZPMs from Colonel Carter’s lab for us to test recharging equipment.’

John nodded at him and sighed.  ‘I’d prefer to be informed of decisions like that in future, Doc, but I’ll let it pass this time.’

Radek flushed and buried his head back in the equipment while Rodney scowled at John.

‘How come he gets away with just that?  If I’d been the one at fault, you’d’ve yelled at me.’

‘I might still yell at you.  You’re his boss and should know better than to keep important information from me.  As it is, I’m seriously thinking of carrying out my threat and putting Bill—’

He was interrupted by a shout of glee from the other members of his party who had been busy running their fingers over the engravings on the other side of the room, taking no notice of John and Rodney.

‘What?  What’s happened?’ John demanded, swinging round to look at them.

Jack turned to face him, grinning hugely.  ‘We’ve only gone and found a ZPM!’

‘There’s another lump here,’ Patrick called out.  ‘Jack, John, come and look.’

John stepped towards the wall and peered at his father’s fingers as Patrick pressed either side of the tiny bump.  One of the swirls etched into the metal suddenly retracted leaving an open compartment where an orange and red crystal object was laying.

‘Another one?’ Jack gasped in shock.

********

The commotion which followed his announcement brought Lorne running and he looked around in confusion at the celebrations within the Ancient facility.

‘Is everything alright, sirs?’ he asked only to have Daniel Jackson grab his hands and waltz him around the laboratory.

Jack released Patrick from a tight hug and grinned at the confused Major.  ‘We’ve just made an amazing discovery, take no notice.’

Lorne watched them for a moment then shook his head and rolled his eyes, then disappeared outside again.

‘I guess that means even more stories of how crazy I am will make their way around the base,’ Jack commented, then grinned again.  ‘Two and a half ZPMS!  Enough to dial Atlantis and hand one, maybe even two over to them.’

‘And send some supplies through,’ Daniel added, his eyes shining behind his glasses.  ‘They’ll probably be on short rations by now unless they’ve managed to make a few trade agreements.’  He tipped his head on one side thoughtfully.  ‘I could go out with the supplies.’

‘No, you couldn’t.’  Jack pointed a finger at him.  ‘I told you that you couldn’t go when the Expedition left.  Nothing’s changed.’

Daniel pouted.  ‘But, Jack—’

Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by the appearance of one of Lorne’s security detail.

‘Sir, sir.  Sergeant Markham’s just radioed.  The gate’s just dialled and it’s not Earth.’

‘Then who is it?’

A second SF arrived, panting.  ‘Sir, we have to evacuate.  It’s Ba’al’s Jaffa!’

The laughter ceased immediately.

‘McKay, Zelenka.  Get all the memory sticks and computers together; we might have to blow the outpost,’ John ordered

‘What?  No!  No, we can’t!’ Rodney protested, staring at John in confusion.  ‘We can’t just blow this place up.  It’s far too important.’

‘And it’s also important it doesn’t fall into the hands of any of the Goa’uld,’ John returned.  ‘Daniel, pack the ZPMs away carefully.’

‘In what?’

John glanced around.  ‘Use the backpacks, just make sure they’re well wrapped.’

Daniel grabbed a backpack and quickly emptied it, scattering someone’s belongings across the floor in the process.  Patrick and Jack looked around, searching for something to wrap them in.

‘Here,’ Jack said, suddenly, slipping out of his tac-vest and pulling his shirt over his head.  ‘Use this.’

Patrick watched him for a couple of seconds then did the same thing, holding his shirt in his hand while Daniel removed his own T-shirt.

John, meanwhile, was still arguing with Rodney.  ‘Get everything together.  We don’t want to leave anything important behind.’

Zelenka was busy disconnecting the plethora of cables connecting their computers to the Ancient equipment.

‘Radek, stop,’ Rodney called out.  ‘We can’t just abandon this place.  The Marines at the gate’ll probably kill all the Jaffa and this will all have been a massive waste of time.’

‘And they might not,’ John said grimly.

‘Well, can’t we just shut the door and lie low?  Chances are they’ll never find the entrance, especially as it needs the gene to open it.  They might just go away again.’

‘And if they don’t?  And what about all the weaponry outside and the guards on the Stargate?  Will they think we did all that just for fun?  No, we have to assume and prepare for the worst.  Get everything together, McKay.  If it’s not packed in five minutes, it gets destroyed.’  He turned his back on the two scientists and jogged back down the corridor to the main entrance.

Cadman and her platoon had fallen back to the Outpost and Lorne had some of them setting up gun emplacements while others fixed detonators into the explosives already in place around the rocky outcrop.  The distant sound of weapons fire from the direction of the gate could be heard.

Captain Grayson, the leader of Cadman’s platoon and an explosives expert himself, joined John.  “We laid explosives around the place when we first came out here, sir, just as you ordered.  We didn’t put the detonators in place in case of an accident but it’ll only take a couple of minutes to fix them all, inside and out.’  He held out a remote detonating device to John who took it from him.  ‘There’s a ten-second delay to explosion.’

John eyed the detonator warily, and Grayson gave him a brief smile.

‘You can’t set it off accidentally, sir, don’t worry.  You need to remove the guard over the button first.’  He pointed to a metal cage covering the red button.  ‘It’s a two-part process so it can’t get knocked and go off.’

John nodded and handed it back, hoping it wouldn’t be needed.  Rodney appeared, stumbling out of the entrance as though pushed.’

‘There’s no need to get physical, O’Neill!’

‘There’s _every_ need, McKay.  We might have to blow this place up.  I don’t want you to be in there if that happens.  How’d I explain that to Sheppard?’

John saw Lorne touch his concealed radio and quickly tapped his own to enable him to hear Markham.

‘— _got away and are heading for you.  You need to bug out right now, sir.’_

‘They’re coming,’ Lorne announced grimly.  ‘Get back to the gate as fast as you can, sirs.  We’ll stay here and try to hold them off.’

‘How can we get back if we’re likely to run into them?’ Jack asked looking around.

‘Through the trees, sir.  We’ve marked a trail with notches on the trees.  Just keep heading due west.’

Jack nodded and pushed Patrick and the three scientists ahead of him.  ‘Come on then, move out.  Patrick, take point.’

‘I’ll stay with you,’ John told Lorne.

‘No, sir.’  Lorne jutted his chin out.  ‘Go with the others.  This is what we’ve trained for; this is our job.  Get yourself and the scientists safely back to the SGC, sir.  That’s _your_ job, sir – John.’

John gazed at him for a moment then nodded reluctantly.  ‘Stay safe, Evan, all of you.’  His eyes swept around the entire group.  ‘I expect you all to follow us back just as soon as you can.’  He nodded again, then jogged to catch up with the others.

Rodney was still complaining about blowing up the Ancient facility between breaths, and John gripped his arm as he caught them up.

‘Less complaining and more running, McKay.’

They heard the sound of explosions through the trees and Jack glanced towards the main path to the Stargate.  ‘Guess Cadman wasn’t quite telling the truth about no live ammunition.  They sounded like Claymores to me.’

Patrick nodded.  ‘They did to me as well.  That sound hasn’t changed any over the years.’  He came to a sudden halt and looked around.  ‘I’ve lost the way.  Where’s the next notched tree?’

They separated and searched urgently while weapons fire could be heard back at the Outpost.

‘Here,’ Zelenka called from a short distance.  ‘This way.’

They all headed towards him and hurried on until Jack stopped suddenly and looked around, Patrick almost tripping over him.  ‘Where’s Daniel?’

John swung his head around so quickly he felt his neck crack.  ‘ _What_?  He was here a minute ago.’

‘Stupid, fucking idiot!’ Rodney cursed.  ‘Half-witted moronic—’

‘What?’ Jack demanded.  ‘What, McKay?’

‘He left his video camera behind, the brainless—’

‘He’s gone back?’ Jack demanded.  ‘For a fucking camera?  Why didn’t you stop him?’

‘I did!  I grabbed him and pulled him along and told him to leave it!’

‘Then where is he?’

‘He tripped over a root and almost pulled me down.  I let go of his arm to steady myself.’  Rodney held out his soil-marked hands.  ‘He was following me when we got up but must have doubled back.’

Patrick put out a hand to rest on Rodney’s shoulder.  ‘It’s not Rodney’s fault.  I heard him mention the camera as well and thought he was with us.  This is all on Jackson himself.’

‘ _Jesus fucking Christ_!’ Jack swore.  ‘I’m going to kill him.  You go on, all of you.  I’ll go back for him.’

‘Not fucking likely!’ Patrick snapped.  ‘I’m coming with _you_!’

‘For fuck’s sake!’  John pinched the bridge of his nose and looked around, his gaze falling on a group of dense bushes.  ‘Rodney, Radek.  Squeeze yourselves into the middle of those bushes and take the ZPMs with you.  Stay there and stay quiet ’til we get back.’

Rodney eyed the bush warily.  ‘Has it got thorns in it?’

‘Rodney!’

‘Okay, okay.  I was only asking.’

‘Hurry up!’  John cursed himself for being persuaded that the scientists didn’t need their MP7s on the planet since there were so many SFs around.  ‘You’ve both got your pistols, haven’t you?’

Two voices confirmed they did, and John pushed the three backpacks through the thick foliage and into a pair of hands.

‘Stay quiet and stay hidden until we get back.  Shoot anyone other than me who comes close.  I’ll identify myself.’  The bush shook a little in response.  ‘I’m going now.  Stay safe.’

‘You too,’ the disembodied voice of McKay instructed him.

John made sure there were no footprints or broken twigs to show where the scientists were hidden, then jogged back through the trees as quietly as he could although he was sure his progress would be masked by the sounds of gunfire and staff weapon blasts now ahead of him.  The firefight quickly came into view. He could see his father and Jack peering out from behind a clump of trees and undergrowth and crept towards them.  Several silent hand gestures told him Jackson was inside the facility and that Jack intended to kill him when he got out, but there was no way to get in there themselves without being seen by the small group of Jaffa steadily making their way towards the gun emplacements where Lorne and his SFs, and Grayson and his platoon were trying to hold them off.  Two Marines lay prone to one side of their position and from the look and placement of the staff weapon blasts, both were dead.  Neither John, Jack, nor Patrick could offer any help to them given their position and the risk of blue on blue fire.

One of the eight advancing Jaffa screamed and fell to the ground when Jack suddenly gripped John’s arm and pointed to a second group of eight coming around the far side of the escarpment.  As one man the three of them began firing on the two leading Jaffa, but the bullets simply bounced off them.

‘They’ve got shields,’ Jack called out.  ‘Aim at the others!’

The following six Jaffa were mown down as they came into view, but the two protected by personal defence shields were able to get right to the entrance of the Outpost.  John dodged as the pair of shielded Jaffa fired on their position and, from the corner of his eye saw a flash of the detonator in Grayson’s hand.

‘No!’ he yelled but wasn’t sure if Grayson could hear him over the sound of gunfire. He made a move forward but Jack caught his arm.

‘No.  Let Grayson do his job,’ Jack told him and, face set, nodded to Grayson who pressed the red button.

The ten seconds to the blast were some of the longest in John’s life.  There was absolutely nothing they could do to help Daniel. They had to prevent the two Jaffa from getting their hands on any of the information in the systems within the outpost as the SGC people had no idea what sort of communications the Jaffa might have on or with them.  The blasts, when they finally came, were deafening.  The entire rock structure collapsed slowly upon itself, burying the two Jaffa in tons of rock.  Even with their personal shields there would be no escape for them, nor for anyone else inside.

As their ears were recovering from the noise of the blasts, an outburst of gunfire came from along the trail to the Stargate and Markham, along with seven of his men, came into sight.  The three remaining Jaffa advancing on Grayson’s position fell like toy soldiers, and suddenly it was all over.

********

John watched from the control booth as three black body-bags were laid carefully and with due reverence at the foot of the ramp to the Stargate.  It was incredible, given the ferocious fighting, that only three of their people died on P2R 997, then John gave himself a mental slap.  One more person had died but there was no body-bag for him.  His body was encased in its own tomb and would never be recovered.

Jack appeared at his side with an uncanny ability to read his mind.  ‘We had no choice, John.  We were never going to stop those Jaffa, not with them shielded the way they were.  We couldn’t risk them getting a message off.  We had no alternative but to blow it up.’

‘I know!’ John snapped, then sighed and repeated himself quietly.  ‘I know.  At least, intellectually.  I just keep asking myself if there wasn’t any other choice to make.’

‘There wasn’t.  Stop beating yourself up about it.  I gave the order to Grayson, not you.’

John turned and frowned at him.  ‘It doesn’t _matter_ who gave the order; Daniel’s still dead– What?  Why the look?  What do you know that I don’t?’

Jack moved his head from side to side.  ‘I’ve learned the hard way that with Daniel, you just can’t tell.’

‘Tell what?’

‘Tell if he’s really dead or not.  It wouldn’t be the first time he died and came back is all I’m saying.’

John watched him with a puzzled look on his face.  ‘Are you saying… _What_ are you saying?’

‘That I’m not having him declared dead just yet.  I’ll give it a few days, maybe a couple of weeks.’

‘I…’  John closed his mouth.  ‘The Stargate Programme, eh?  Where the downright freaky happens every day and twice on Tuesdays.’

Jack nodded and watched the soldiers below them gathering their equipment together for a moment, then gave a deep sigh.  ‘I’ve got some letters to write.’

 

##  **Chapter Twelve**

The names of the two dead Marines and one dead Airman were duly entered into the Book of Remembrance which was kept in Jack’s office.

‘I know all their names,’ Jack admitted as he closed the book and patted the cover.  ‘I remember all of them except the first name in this book; Senior Airman Carol Weterings.  Apophis took her and killed her when Amaunet, his queen, refused her as host, but I remember her when I remember the others.  She deserves that much.’

John nodded, finding his throat rather tight.  He coughed to clear it.  ‘What do you want to do about the ZPMs?  Rodney and Radek were asking.’

Jack made a moue of distaste.  ‘I don’t know.  Where are they at the moment?’

‘Still in the backpacks.  Nobody wants to touch them.’

‘I know how they feel.  Still, we should at least put them somewhere secure.  The safe?’

The SGC safe was hidden behind the large Stargate Command emblem behind Jack’s desk and required one of the two flags to be moved to access it.  Few people knew it was there and even fewer could open it since Jack had asked Rodney to redesign it after John joined the Programme and it would now only open to someone with the ATA gene.

Jack nodded and watched as John removed the ZPMs from the backpacks.  He hesitated when they were in his hands, then nodded to himself and left them wrapped in the shirts as he placed them carefully inside the safe.  Two minutes later the room was back to normal with both flags – one the Stars and Stripes of the nation, the other the SGC flag – back behind the desk.  John moved towards the door to his own office when Jack touched the radio in his ear and listened for a moment.  He held up his hand to stop John from leaving and scowled at whatever it was he heard.

‘Fine, fine, let him in but give him a thorough search.  A very thorough search, Sergeant, understood?’

John waited until Jack clicked his radio off and raised his eyebrows.  ‘A very thorough search?  Who on earth is it?’

‘Kinsey, the fucker.  Says he needs to talk to me.  Matter of national security blah, blah.’  Jack clicked his radio again.  ‘Patrick?  I need you in my office, now.’  He listened for a moment and grinned.  ‘No, you kinky bastard.  I’ve got Robert Kinsey on his way down.  Thought you might want to join us, John and me.’  Another pause.  ‘Okey-dokey.’

John couldn’t help the grimace on his face.  ‘What?’ he demanded as Jack raised an eyebrow.  ‘I did not need to hear that.  As far as I’m concerned the pair of you play Scrabble at night.  Maybe dominoes.’

That made Jack laugh.  ‘Really?  Dream on, kid.  Maybe hide the—’

‘La, la, la, la, la, la, not listening,’ John sang, eyes tightly closed.

The door opened, and Patrick strode in.  He stopped short at the sight of John with his fingers in his ears.  ‘What the…’

‘He thinks we play Scrabble at night,’ Jack told him with a wide grin.  ‘Or possibly dominoes.’

Patrick shook his head and tapped John on the shoulder.  ‘Hi.’

Before John could start grumbling again, Jack got to his feet.  ‘I can’t cope with Kinsey in here.  It’s far too small.  Let’s use your office, John.’

‘I don’t want that fuckwit in my office.  Let’s use the briefing room.’

Jack and Patrick trailed after him whispering to each other and giggling like schoolgirls, or so John thought.  ‘Stop it, the pair of you!  Christ, it’s like working with randy teenagers.’

Walter was already setting out two coffee pots and cups as they entered the room.

‘How does he know?’ Patrick muttered.

‘Best not to ask,’ Jack advised him as he settled himself at the head of the table.  Patrick slipped into the seat on his left as John took his usual chair.

‘We seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in here,’ John commented absently and frowned as Walter appeared with a third carafe of coffee.  ‘I don’t think we need a pot each, Walter.’

Walter simply smiled at him and disappeared down the stairs to the control room just as the door burst open and Rodney entered.

‘And then again, we might,’ John murmured.  ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I needed a word with you, then heard Kinsey was on base.  I guessed you’d be in here.’

‘And why do you want to see him?  I thought you hated him.’

‘I do, but I’m also interested in what he wants with us.  Why?  Can’t I stay?’

‘If you really want to.’

The door opened again and Kinsey came in accompanied by two SFs, his face creased with anger.

‘I come here in the spirit of cooperation and this is how you treat me?’ he demanded and opened his mouth to complain further, but Jack spoke over him.

‘Quit bitchin’, Kinsey, and sit down.  What do you want?’

Kinsey glanced at the two SFs.  ‘Can we dispense with the guards?’

Jack watched him for a moment then nodded to the two men.  ‘I’ll take it from here, thanks.’

They saluted and left the room.  Kinsey settled into the chair opposite Jack.

‘That’s better, but did we really need the strip search?’

‘I don’t trust you as far as I can kick you, Kinsey.  Now, I’ll ask again.  What do you want?’

Kinsey eyed him for a long minute until Jack made a move to stand up.  ‘The Trust.’

Jack sat back down.  ‘The what, now?’

‘Don’t play games with me, O’Neill.  You know who I’m talking about.  As does Mr Sheppard.’  His eyes rested on Patrick and he gave him an oily smile.  ‘You upset quite a few people escaping as you did, Mr Sheppard.’

All four men remained silent and watchful.  Kinsey rolled his eyes.

‘Look, I’ve got information you want, and you’ve got…assets I want to use.’

‘What assets?’ Jack asked, his face expressionless.

‘I need to get away somewhere they’ll not find me.  You can help me do that.  In exchange, I’ll give you certain information.’

‘You want to go off-world?’

Kinsey grimaced.  ‘Not likely.  It’s bad enough I’m being forced to leave my own country, the country I’ve worked hard to protect.’

‘Kinsey, you jackass, the only person you’ve ever protected is yourself.  Now cut the crap and tell me exactly what you want.’

‘I want Prometheus to beam me to New Zealand, and I want sufficient funds transferred to an account there to allow me to live in comfort.’

‘Flying too good for you?  And don’t you have your own millions stashed away somewhere?’

‘Don’t be stupid, O’Neill.  I need my…departure to be untraceable.  The same goes for my finances.  I need money which can’t be traced back to me.  Five million dollars should be enough.’

Jack sprayed coffee across the table.  ‘Five million dollars?  Where am I likely to get that sort of money?’

‘You’ll manage, I’m sure.  I have faith in your abilities.’

‘And what do we get in return?’

Kinsey watched him for a while.  ‘I can give you the names of all the people in the Pentagon who the Trust have in their pocket.’

‘Snaked?’

‘Not all of them.’

‘And what good will that do us?’

‘You’ll know who to take out.’

Jack sat back in his chair.  ‘John?  Your thoughts?’

‘I can’t see it’s worth the price he’s asking.  As you say, what good will knowing who’s against us do, other than being able to avoid them.’

Kinsey gave a humourless laugh.  ‘The problem—  _One_ of the problems with you people is you think too small.’

‘Go on.’

‘Remember the symbiote poison the Tok’ra created?  Use that to get rid of the snakes.’

‘But won’t it kill the hosts as well?’

Kinsey shrugged.  ‘You’ve got to break eggs if you want to make an omelette.’

‘You total bastard,’ Jack whispered distastefully, then shook his head.  ‘Not enough.  What else do you have?’

‘I can give you a few details about David Sheppard if you like,’ and he smiled at the reaction that drew from John and Patrick.  ‘ _He’_ s not been snaked, by the way. They’ve fitted him with…an implant you might say.  It forces him to do what the Trust want but through pain rather than his body being taken over by a symbiote.  There just aren’t enough symbiotes to go round, you see.  A Goa’uld does control him, though.  Someone at Sheppard Industries.  I can tell you who.’

John could tell that Patrick remained in his seat only by considerable effort since he felt the same.  He clenched his fists under the table and glanced at Rodney as he rested his hand on John’s leg, squeezing gently.

‘Are there many of the implants?  Many people?’ Jack asked, his voice tight with anger.

‘Enough.  I can give you some of the names.’

‘How can we trust you?’

Kinsey thought for a moment.  ‘How about I give you some names as a gesture of goodwill?’

‘Of the person controlling David Sheppard?’

‘Now why would I want to give up my ace?’

‘Because I might kill you if you don’t?’

Kinsey laughed and leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out and generally making himself comfortable.  ‘Then you wouldn’t get anything.  It’s all in here.’  He tapped his forehead.  ‘I couldn’t write it down for fear it fell into the wrong hands.  I might point you in the direction of your mole, though, but the five million is non-negotiable.’

‘Mole?’ Jack repeated, startled.

‘A mole at the SGC.  Wasn’t I clear enough?  How else do you think Ba’al found out about the planet where Dr Jackson was killed?’

Jack watched him for a moment then tapped his radio.  ‘I need a security team to the briefing room to escort Mr Kinsey to a holding cell.’  He smirked at Kinsey.  ‘Just in case you wander off while we have a little chat amongst ourselves.’

********

They watched Kinsey be led away by the SFs while Walter appeared with a cloth to wipe down the table that Jack had sprayed with coffee.  Nothing was said while Walter was there, more for the fact they were each trying to organise their thoughts than their concern of Walter hearing classified information.  Little happened on or off base without Walter knowing all about it.  How he found out so much was as much a mystery as his uncanny sixth sense.

When he’d gone, Jack looked around the table.  ‘So.  Do we believe him?  Can we trust him.’

‘Yes, to the first question, and hell no, to the second.’ Rodney answered promptly.

‘I’m with Rodney on this,’ Patrick said carefully.  ‘What does he have to gain by lying to us?  If his intel turns out to be false, it’d be easy enough for us to let slip exactly where he is to the _wrong_ people, to say nothing of cutting off his financial support.’

‘And the existence of a mole?’

‘That’s what I originally came to talk to John about,’ Rodney admitted.  ‘I—’

‘You know who the mole is?’ John demanded, twisting himself to look at McKay.  ‘Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘I’m _trying_ to!  And I _don’t_ know who the mole is, or that we necessarily have one, but something’s come up. ‘

‘What?’

‘If you’ll just listen!’  Rodney glared at him until John slumped back in his chair, arms folded and a scowl etched firmly on his face.  ‘I was in Sam’s lab looking to see how many empty ZPMs we have, and I noticed the power supply gadget O’Neill made is missing and—’

‘What’s that got to do with a mole?’

‘If you’ll just let me speak!  I asked Miko about it, and she thought it should be in the same place as I did, so we had a look at the video feed for that corridor—’

‘Why not the feed for Carter’s lab?’

‘Because there’s no camera coverage in there any more and the cameras in the corridor aren’t on continually, they circle through a rotation of several cameras.  Miko’s going through what footage we have but if someone knew the cycle of the cameras, they could easily evade them.’

‘Have they always done that?’ John asked, more than a little concerned at the holes in the security of the Mountain.

‘No, until fairly recently _all_ the cameras recorded _all_ the time.  Carter was in charge of the placement and running of the cameras, assisted by Siler who had no idea they didn’t all record simultaneously any longer.’

This information made John sit up.  ‘Siler thought they all recorded at the same time?  As the Base Technician, he should have been notified of any modifications made to standard equipment.’

‘Well, he wasn’t informed about this and I’ve never even thought about the cameras.  As far as I was aware Carter handed all that stuff over to Bill Lee as I didn’t want to be bothered with it.’

‘And have you spoken to Bill Lee?’

‘No, I came to talk to you first to see if you know anything about it.’

‘I know nothing about how or where the cameras work.  I’ve never even thought about it,’ John admitted.  ‘General?’

Jack shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.  ‘It was always something someone else dealt with – General Hammond or Carter.  Like you, I’ve never even thought about it.  It just happened.’

Rodney sighed.  ‘I never wanted anything to do with which is why I asked Sam to hand it off to someone else.  I’d better go and have a chat with Bill Lee.’

‘Take Miko with you,’ John suggested.  ‘She might come over as less scary to him.’

Rodney nodded and waved a hand as he left the briefing room.

John turned back to Jack.  ‘What do we do about Kinsey?’

Jack pulled a face.  ‘Instinct tells me to drop him in a deep hole but I guess we need to make a deal with him.’

‘All of it?’

‘We can manage the beam out to New Zealand; the money’s something else.  Where are we likely to get our hands on five million dollars?  Without robbing a bank?’

‘Robbing a bank,’ John repeated slowly.  ‘Robbing a bank.’

‘John, we cannot rob a bank.  Not even to get our hands on a cache of ZPMs.  There will be no bank robbing by the SGC.’

‘Not even Kinsey’s own money?’

‘ _What_?’

John grinned.  ‘He says he can’t use his own money as it could be traced but what if Miko was able to move it around a bit to hide the trail and then deposit it in an account in New Zealand for him?  It’s not stealing if he gives us permission to shift it around a bit.’

Jack stared at him for a moment.  ‘I’d need to run it by someone first,’ he said finally.  ‘Maybe Paul Davis.’

‘And if _he’s_ been snaked or has one of those implants Kinsey mentioned?’ Patrick asked.

‘I know Paul Davis pretty well.  I think I’ll know if there was something off about him.’

‘But you should warn him about some of the folk at the Pentagon,’ Patrick advised.  ‘Maybe even offer him refuge here.’

John was twiddling a pen between his fingers while his mind was busy thinking.  ‘Should we…. Are we getting closer to a bug-out?’ he asked at last.  ‘To evacuating the SGC?  The Trust appears to be taking over more and more people and…institutions.  They’ve already got at least two of the IOA, and now Kinsey says the Pentagon is full of Trust agents.  Their influence is spreading, Jack, that much is certain.  Hell, they’ve even got my brother!’

‘Was David targeted because of John’s position in the SGC?’ Patrick asked suddenly.

Jack shook his head.  ‘No, most definitely not.  We’ve had trouble with outside organisations from almost the inception of the SGC.  The NID was our main problem for a long time, but a number of people in government and the military were against us from the start and hated the power we have.  Both Hammond and I have the ear of the president as well as a direct line to him and that upsets a lot of folks.  So no, Patrick, the problem was here long before John even heard about the Programme.  His relationship to you and David is pure coincidence.’

‘I thought you didn’t believe in coincidences?’ John asked, still fiddling with his pen.

‘Your position here was only confirmed at the end of April even though I knew I wanted you here, and even then very few people knew about it.  As far as we know, Patrick was initially drugged on 12th May while visiting Blackwood.  David was snaked or implanted or whatever it is either at the same time or, more likely, earlier.  That’s far too short a time to set up something like that, so no, it has nothing at all to do with John.’

‘Thank God!’  Patrick sounded most relieved.

‘Why?  Because I’m absolved, or because—’  John broke off as his radio activated and he tapped it to reply.  ‘Sheppard.’

 _‘John, you need to come down to Lab Five.  Bring Jack with you.’_ The radio cut off abruptly.

‘Problem?’ asked Jack curiously.

‘McKay wants us both in Lab Five, asap.’

‘Lab Five?  Whose—’

‘Lee’s, I think.  Something’s happened!  Come on!’  John left his seat and headed quickly out of the briefing room followed closely by Jack.  Patrick shrugged then trailed behind them, uninvited but going anyway.

********

The door burst open noisily, and Rodney glared at the three men entering.

‘Quiet!’ he hissed and turned his attention back to Miko who was kneeling next to Bill Lee’s chair, her arm partially around his waist.

Lee didn’t look up and didn’t even appear to hear anything, but continued to gaze into space, his head laying slack against his shoulder and his mouth slightly open.

Miko glanced at them then turned back to Lee and tapped one of his legs to gain his attention.  ‘Bill?  Bill?  Tell me again about Samantha Carter.’

His face appeared to come to life.  ‘Colonel Carter?  Oh, she’s a very good friend of mine.  Do you know her?’

Jack opened his mouth to speak but Rodney poked him and shook his head.

‘I do, Bill,’ Miko was saying gently.  ‘I do know her, but not as well as you do.’

‘No, I don’t suppose you do.  I doubt anyone knows her as well as I do.  We’re very close friends, you know.’

‘And she trusts you, doesn’t she?’

‘Oh, absolutely.  We trust each other; that’s what real friendship is about – mutual trust.’  His voice trailed off and his eyes appeared vacant.

‘Sam trusted you with looking after the video feeds, didn’t she, Bill?’

Bill smiled down at her.  ‘Of course, she did.  Who else would she ask that she could trust?  It’s a big responsibility and she knew I’d do a good job.’

John stepped forward and knelt on Lee’s other side, gently touching his leg.  ‘Hello, Dr Lee.  I’m John, John Sheppard and I’m pretty new to the SGC.   I know nothing about the cameras and what they do.  Do you have to take the film out of them every day?’

‘No, no.  They don’t have actual film in them.’  Dr Lee lifted his head a little and turned it towards John although he didn’t wouldn’t look directly at him.  ‘They capture images and send them to a central data bank.’

‘Oh, I see.  But doesn’t that create a huge amount of film to print to check anything?’

‘It’s not that sort of equipment.  It’s all digital nowadays and the images are stored in the memory of the computer which controls them.’

‘That makes sense.’  John nodded his head and noticed Lee’s head had lifted a little more and he could now see John although he wouldn’t meet his eyes.  ‘But isn’t it still a lot of memory it takes up?  I mean, there are a lot of cameras in the SGC, and if the footage from all of them is stored it must make a huge file.  The SGC’s been open for what, three years?”

‘Seven years, just.  And Colonel Carter was here almost from the start although she wasn’t a Colonel then, of course.’  He gave a little laugh.  ‘You could say we’ve moved up through the ranks together.’

‘Of course, you could.  I can see why you’d be such good friends.  I’m just the new boy and I know nothing about the cameras.  Do they take up a large amount of space on the server?’

‘They do, yes, but we only keep the footage of the last twelve months.  At the start of each month I delete the relevant footage from the previous year, but not all of the cameras are recording all the time.  Colonel Carter and I had a long discussion about it and she agreed with me that some of the unused labs and empty rooms could be turned off.  We also altered the cameras in the lesser used areas to record in sequence rather than at all times.  Of course, if we can get agreement to keep just one month of coverage, we’ll have the capacity to run all the cameras simultaneously, although I’m told that we can’t decide that at this level.’  Lee lifted his eyes further and finally met John’s for a fleeting moment.

‘So you and Dr Carter made the decisions together?’

‘She values my opinion.  We spend…spent a lot of time together, really.’

‘You must miss her.’

‘I do, but I still go into her lab occasionally, and I feel closer to her then.’

‘She trusted you with her keys?’

‘Of course.  As I said, we worked very closely together and she always asked about my character in Warcraft.  We were both looking forward to the release of WOW in November.’

‘WOW?’

‘World of Warcraft.  It’s an expansion of the universe created in Warcraft, you know.  Colonel Carter and I had a lot of conversations about it and I think she was going to join me when WOW is released before she was forced to go to Atlantis.’

‘Forced?’ Jack demanded.  ‘Carter wasn’t—’

Rodney punched his arm and frowned at him for disturbing the progress with Dr Lee but, fortunately, Bill was lost in a world of his own imagination.  Miko got to her feet and put her arm around his shoulders.

‘Come on, Bill, let’s go back to your lab.  Did you drive here this morning?’

‘Hmm?  No, no, my wife dropped me off.  She doesn’t like me driving myself.  Says I get lost in my mind and don’t watch where I’m going.  It’s ridiculous, of course.  I can make my way through all Azeroth with very few problems, one reason why I’m looking forward to WOW: I’ve pretty much exhausted the options within Warcraft III…’  His voice died away as Miko led him out of the room and the remaining men exchanged looks.

‘He’s always been a bit odd,’ Jack commented, ‘but this takes it to another level.  Wow!  Who knew?’

John, Rodney and Patrick burst out laughing and laughed even harder when Jack glared at them.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘Wow!’ Patrick wheezed and began laughing all over again, Rodney and John both joining in.

‘Poor, Bill,’ Rodney managed to get out before John choked out ‘Wow!’ again.

It took several minutes for the group to recover themselves as each time they were almost sober someone said ‘Wow’, and it all began again.  Finally, as Jack wiped his eyes, he managed to get his people to pay attention to him and when Rodney opened his mouth to speak, Jack held up a finger.

‘Ah, ah!  No more.  Next person who says that word is going to the brig.’

‘I was going to say that at least we know how the cameras got altered,’ Rodney complained.  ‘Carter probably knew nothing about it.  I suspect poor Bill had most of those conversations with himself.  I do hope he’s alright.’

‘Wow, McKay.  You’re becoming a real boy with—’ John began, then cringed as Jack glared at him.  ‘It was an accident!’

‘Brig!’ Rodney demanded.  ‘You said the next person—’

‘I didn’t realise it’d be my own XO.  I can’t send Sheppard to the brig.  Who’d do my paperwork?’

The door to the lab opened again and Miko entered, swept a look over them all and shook her head.

‘I do not want to know,’ she told them all and sank into a seat.  ‘I took Dr Lee down to the infirmary rather than send him home, especially if he might have been implanted with something.  I didn’t quite follow when Rodney explained it to me but there is obviously something wrong with him.   It’s clear he’s imagined many conversations with Colonel Carter as I don’t ever recall seeing them together, let alone be together enough to have the conversations he recounted.  It’s also clear that he’s paid several visits to her lab and may well have facilitated the access of other people either intentionally or not.  We may never know who stole the power booster unless Mr Kinsey can tell you something about it.’

‘Maybe.’  Jack didn’t sound very confident.  ‘Thank you, Dr Kusanagi, for helping with Dr Lee.’

Miko took this as a dismissal and nodded to him.  ‘I need to get back to my own work.’  She threw a scowl at Rodney as she left which promised retribution for involving her in the ramblings of a crazy man.

John sighed.  ‘We also need to get all the cameras working properly, for the moment, at least.  Once this crisis is resolved we can look at it all again, although, given what’s happened, I suggest we have a server dedicated to base security.  I don’t quite understand why it was never done before if storage capacity is a problem.’

‘We’ve never really had a problem with the security feeds before,’ Rodney pointed out.  ‘Or at least, we didn’t know we had a problem.  I guess that makes Bill our mole.’

‘Not necessarily,’ Patrick said thoughtfully.  ‘He could just have been drugged or something to make him susceptible to instructions.’

‘Mind-altering drugs sort of change, do you mean?’ Jack asked

‘Yes, exactly.’

‘We could have Dr Fraiser do a drugs test,’ John suggested.  ‘If he has been drugged recently it’ll show on a hair sample.  Although it means we still haven’t found our mole.’

Rodney perched himself on one of the tall stools at one side of the lab.  ‘Let’s think this through logically.  There must be a way to track he or she down, for fuck’s sake.  What do we actually know?  Know rather than suspect?’

‘That Dr Lee altered the video feed of the SGC, and that someone removed my power source thingy,’ Jack said promptly.

‘And that someone informed Ba’al that P2R 977 had an Ancient facility,’ John added.

‘No, we only know Ba’al was informed about _something_ on P2R 977,’ Rodney corrected.

‘But they knew which direction to go after they made it past the troops guarding the gate.’  John tipped his head on one side.  ‘We need to look at Markham’s AAR.’

‘Better still, bring him, Stackhouse, and Lorne into this discussion,’ Jack said.  ‘And move it to the briefing room.  The chairs in here suck.’

‘I’ve been trying to get new chairs for months,’ Rodney told him crossly.  ‘You’re the one who’s blocking it.’

‘No, not being able to afford them is blocking it.  Stop hassling me, McKay, or I’ll cut the coffee budget and then you’ll really squawk!’

John shook his head at them and radioed for the men Jack had requested and ordered them to meet them in the briefing room then turned back to the others.  ‘Coming?’

********

Fresh coffee and sandwiches were waiting when they got back to the briefing room, along with Lorne, Stackhouse, and Markham.  They ate while they talked and had soon explained what they were trying to find out about the attack on the planet two days previously.

‘Let me get this on the board,’ Rodney said and hunted for a pen to use on the whiteboard in the briefing room.  ‘Right.  What time did you go through, John?’

‘1400 Earth time, around 6 am on P2R 977.’

‘And it took about half an hour to get to the outpost, right?’

‘About that. We weren’t in any hurry and we stopped to chat with Lt Cadman on the way.’

‘And what time did the Jaffa come through, Markham?’

‘They didn’t come through immediately; they sent one of those silver scanning balls through first.  It sent out a beam which scanned me and the men closest to me but didn’t appear to pick up the gun emplacements further out.  I think that’s why we were able to hold so many of them off.’

‘Okay, what time was that?  Or how long after the General and the Colonel went through?’

‘The scanning ball came through about half an hour after the General.  The Jaffa, a couple of minutes after that.’

Rodney scribbled it on the board then turned back around.  ‘And no one on base knew beforehand that you were going, John?’

He thought for a moment.  ‘I radioed Dad and told him to gear up if he wanted to go with me, then went in to ask General O’Neill.  Dad joined us in his office and then we went to gear up.’

‘You didn’t tell anyone else?’

John shook his head.  ‘No.’

‘But at least one person found out,’ Patrick said suddenly.  ‘Daniel joined us in the ready room and said he’d heard someone in the mess mention that you were going to P2R 977 and he wanted to go with us, remember?’

Jack nodded slowly.  ‘Was anyone around when you were in the ready room, Patrick?’

Patrick sat back and tried to think.  ‘SG-8’d not long come back from their mission.  They were showering while I was getting ready but by the time I was fully kitted out they were all getting dressed, at least…No.  There were only three of them there.’

‘They have one female member,’ Markham pointed out.  ‘She’d be in the female showers.’

‘Then they were all there.’  Patrick gave Jack a scrunched up smile.  ‘They asked where I was going and I told them.  I didn’t think it mattered who I told.  Sorry.’

‘No need to apologise, it wasn’t a secret,’ Jack told him.  We can check the video footage and see if they went straight to the mess.’

‘Did anyone speak to you on your way to the General’s office?’ John asked.

Patrick shook his head then stopped.  ‘Hang on.  There _was_ someone else in the ready room.  I don’t know his name, and he didn’t have a name on his shirt.  He was collecting the dirty towels and didn’t look too happy about it, either.’

‘Private Williamson,’ Lorne said immediately.  ‘He was on punishment duty for his second late return to duty in a week, and it’s not the first time he’s been in trouble.’

‘Check the video footage and see who he spoke to after he left the ready room,’ Jack ordered.

Lorne touched his radio but Rodney held up his hand.

‘I’ll get Miko to look.  It’ll be much faster.’

‘Will she know who to look for?’

‘I’ll tell to watch for anyone leaving the ready room and see where they went.’  Rodney turned away to speak to Miko while John looked at the brief timeline they had.

‘How many Jaffa in total came through the gate?’ he asked Markham.

‘Thirty-five, sir.  We managed to kill a whole bunch of them as they came through the gate as their scanner thing gave us a heads up and we were ready for them.  Eighteen or twenty got passed us.’

John nodded.  ‘How many are usually in a Jaffa squad?  More or less than thirty-five?’

Jack raised his eyebrows and sat back in his seat.  ‘I…Huh.  I’ve never thought about that.’  He clicked his radio.  ‘Teal’c?  O’Neill.  How many Jaffa in a squad?’  He listened to the answer and nodded, even though Teal’c couldn’t see him.  ‘Okay, thanks, T.’  He turned back to John.  ‘Anything from ten to a hundred.  It depends on the circumstances.  Why?’

‘I was just wondering if whoever told them we were going knew what defences we had at the gate.’

‘And, so, therefore?’

Stackhouse spoke before John had a chance to reply.  ‘If they already knew what our defences were, why would they bother sending a scanner through?  They must know they’d lose the advantage over us.’

‘Good point, young Marcus,’ Jack told him.

‘So whoever it was who warned them we were going hadn’t been there themselves,’ Patrick said.

‘Well, yes, except that very few people on base had been there other than the scientists who’d worked there.’

‘Which didn’t include Bill Lee,’ Rodney added.  ‘He hates going off-world.  He says every time he goes on a mission someone tries to kill him.’

‘Occupational hazard,’ Jack muttered then looked around.  ‘So where are we?’

Rodney put one hand up to his ear and held the other up to silence them all.  ‘Uhuh…Uhuh…Uhuh…Right.’  He lowered his hand.

‘SG-8 went straight to the mess and can be seen chatting to a few different people, but there was no hint of subterfuge or covert behaviour.  Dr Lester sat with Jackson and spoke to him for a couple of minutes before Jackson jumped up and ran out, presumably to go to the ready room.  Private Williamson, however, disappeared into a storage room on level 24.  Miko’s had a look at the base sensors and someone used a radio transmitter on level 24 which she can’t find a partner link for.’

‘And that means…?’ Jack asked.

‘That whoever had the other radio it was linked to wasn’t within the SGC.’

‘Lorne, get his bunk, locker and equipment searched,’ John ordered.  ‘If he’s regularly in trouble then he’s someone who might easily be recruited to work against us.  Get him into a holding cell and question him yourself.  If you want me to come and loom over him, I’m more than happy to.  Markham, Stackhouse, go with him.’

The three men sketched hasty salutes and left the room at double quick speed.

‘Now we might be getting somewhere,’ Jack commented, rubbing his hands together.  ‘Are we ready to get Kinsey back yet?’

‘What are you going to offer him?’ Patrick asked cautiously.

‘Beam out to New Zealand and Dr Kusanagi to get his own money to him.’

‘And if he refuses?’

‘We let slip to someone just where he is.’

 

##  **Chapter Thirteen**

John opened the door of his quarters to find his father and CO on his doorstep.

‘Hi.  I…Was I expecting you?’

Jack laughed.  ‘Nah, not visiting.  Patrick and I are heading home for the evening; we wondered if you two wanted to join us for some take out?  Get a break from this place.’

‘Lorne’s on duty tonight so, yeah, I guess so.  I’ll check with McKay.’

A voice came from within John’s room.  ‘McKay says he’ll go along with anything that gets him out of this perishing base!’

John laughed.  ‘I guess we’ll see you at Jack’s house, then.’

‘Nothing with any lemon,’ McKay called out.  ‘I’m—’

‘—deathly allergic to lemon, yes, we know,’ Patrick finished for him, rolling his eyes.

‘I’ll have you know—’

John closed the door and cut his father off from whatever McKay was trying to tell them.

‘Hey!’ Rodney protested.  ‘I was talking!’

‘Babe, we all know about your allergies and no-one’s going to get anything that’ll hurt you.’

‘Babe?  You’re calling me babe now?’

‘No?’

Rodney gave John a soft smile and held his arms out.  ‘I can suffer being ‘babe’ for you.  But only for you, mind.’

‘It’ll be our secret,’ John promised, pulling him close.  ‘Now, come on, let’s get out of here.’

********

By the time John and Rodney arrived half an hour later, Chinese food was set out in the sitting room ready to be eaten.

‘Just what I’m in the mood for,’ John commented, opening the various boxes and peering inside them.  ‘Did you remember to pick up the fortune cookies, Dad?’

Patrick grinned at him, the question taking him back a couple of decades to Chinese takeout eaten in a white painted house in Virginia.  ‘Yes, John.  I did remember.’

‘Great.’

Only the sound of men eating and the occasional request for something to be passed was heard for the next forty minutes.  Eventually, Jack sat back and rested his hands on his belly.

‘That was good.’

‘Even better being eaten without concrete walls all around us,’ Patrick commented.  ‘Although I’ve got used to it a bit more now.’

‘I still miss the sky,’ John said, picking up his beer bottle.

‘Miss flying, or the sky in general?’

John thought for a moment.  ‘Both, I guess.  Until the last few weeks, I managed to get a few hours flying each week but it’s got so hectic at the SGC recently I haven’t had a chance to do any more.’

‘You can always take a few hours out, you know,’ Jack told him with a frown.  ‘You should have just asked.  I can always arrange something for you, or, hell!  I’ll even go with you.’

‘I know, and I do appreciate it, ‘John replied, smiling at his CO.  ‘To be honest I’ve felt uncomfortable going off-base for too long myself since we asked all the off-base personnel to come and stay at the Mountain.  Double standards, you know.’

Jack nodded and Patrick squeezed Jack’s leg gently.  ‘He’s a big boy now, Jack.  He knows to ask if there’s anything he wants or needs.’

Rodney stretched out on one of the long couches in Jack’s sitting room with his legs in John’s lap and wriggled to make himself comfortable.  ‘What happened with Kinsey in the end?  I never did find out.’

‘Bit of an anti-climax really,’ Jack told him, settling back on his couch next to Patrick.  ‘We agreed to the transport to New Zealand but not the cash.  We don’t have access to that sort of money.  I did offer him Miko’s help in moving his own funds, though, and he eventually agreed to that.’

‘So where is he now?’

‘In one of the isolation quarters on Level 22 where we can keep an eye on him.  _He_ thinks it’s about us protecting him which, I suppose, in a way it is.  I wanted to keep him in the stockade but John persuaded me to treat him as a guest rather than a prisoner, although we’ve put four SFs on duty guarding him at any one time and constant video surveillance.’

‘Is he likely to cause any more problems?’

‘Undoubtedly, but that’s something for the future.  We can’t worry about every little thing that’s likely to happen.  As soon as Dr Kusanagi’s moved his money around a bit, we’ll beam him to New Zealand.  He’s agreed to having a subcutaneous transmitter fitted, for his sake as much as ours.’

‘What about Williamson?’

Jack pulled a face.  ‘That’s not such a good situation.  He’s on his way to the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth.  He’ll be in isolation for the rest of his life.’

‘So he was the mole Kinsey was talking about?’ Rodney asked.

‘Yes, and boy, was Kinsey surprised when we told him we’d already found our mole.  Williamson was…turned, I guess you could say, about a month ago.  I’m not quite sure how he ever came to be at the SGC in the first place, to be honest.  He certainly wasn’t a fit for us.  He’s xenophobic and homophobic and hates the whole ethos of the SGC.  For Christ’s sake, DADT was repealed before he was even born!’

‘Not quite,’ Patrick murmured.  ‘Over twenty years ago, certainly.  Williamson’s 22.’

‘He sure wasn’t the sort to send off-world.  He spent most of his time with us on one report or another.  Lorne had him on a list to be rotated out at the next intake.  He’ll spend his life behind bars instead.’

‘Wasn’t he one of the Marines Weir accepted when she was here?’ Rodney asked thoughtfully.  ‘She certainly brought in a few useless scientists.  She might have done the same with the military.’

Jack groaned in resignation and scowled at McKay.  ‘Ah, fuck!  I never thought to check any intake from when she was here.  John?  We’re going to have to look at anyone brought in between January and April and make sure they’re suitable for the Programme.’

‘Wouldn’t anyone who wasn’t a fit have shown up by now?’ Patrick asked.  ‘Williamson did.’

‘We can’t rely on it.  Some of them might be biding their time before creating a ruckus.’

There was a short silence.  John eventually broke it.  ‘Did you ever find out who Williamson’s contact on the outside was, Jack?’

‘Nah.  I’ve left it with Malcolm Barrett.  He’s best placed to look into it, although, that reminds me.  What do you think about us getting our own NCIS or AFOSI agent?’

John didn’t reply immediately.  ‘NCIS would probably be better,’ he said at length.  ‘We’ve far more Marines than Airmen, and we’ve not exactly had a good experience with AFOSI.’

‘Were you thinking of asking the person from the office in LA you mentioned the other week?’ Patrick inquired of Jack.

‘Hetty Lang?  No, she’s far too senior to be an Agent Afloat.  Someone from her office would be a good idea, though, and she’s already read into the Programme and will know the type of person we need.’

‘If we’d had a professional on base we might not have had the problems we’ve had with Private Williamson,’ John pointed out.  ‘An Agent might have spotted a potential trouble maker before he became a problem.’

‘Really?’  Rodney twisted round to see John’s face.  ‘I didn’t know they were trained in psychology.’

‘Most of them have some training in it,’ Jack told him.  ‘I think it’s a part of the course at FLETC.’

John looked over at Jack.  ‘How come you know so much about it?’

Jack blushed, actually blushed.  ‘I…I may have…dated an NCIS Agent at one time?’

‘You dog, you!’  John laughed, and laughed even harder at the scowl his father gave him.

‘Let’s make a new rule,’ Patrick suggested, eyes narrowed.  ‘No talk about former wives or lovers.’

‘Just you two or all four of us?’ John asked.  ‘I can live without finding out about any of your former lovers, Dad.’

Patrick picked up an empty food carton and threw it at him.

‘Hey!  That hit me!’ Rodney scolded.

Patrick grinned at him and sat back on the couch, Jack leaning comfortably against him, and looked across at John and Rodney.  Three months ago he wasn’t sure if he’d ever have another conversation with his younger son, and now they were here, laughing and joking as though they’d never been apart.  _Better than that._   _We’re becoming friends now, real friends with each other._

********

John and Rodney spent the night at Jack’s house and two cars left for the Mountain the following morning, one after the other.  All four men went their separate ways after they signed themselves in; Rodney to his lab, Patrick to continue his work with Dr Fellowes on level 18, Jack to his office, and John to train in the gym for an hour with Teal’c, who was back on base after a couple of weeks off-world with the growing number of Free Jaffa.

‘How’s it all going, Teal’c?’ John asked as he wiped his face and recovered his breath from a particularly ferocious bout of staff fighting, Teal’c barely breaking a sweat.

‘It is going as well as can be expected, thank you, Colonel Sheppard.’

‘Have many more Jaffa joined you?’

‘Few will risk leaving their masters until they know they and their families will be safe from retribution.’

‘You need a safe-house, don’t you?  Or rather a safe planet.’

‘Indeed.’

‘Somewhere off the grid but with an address that can easily be passed around.’

‘I fear we need more than that.  We need a means of uniting the Jaffa against their false Gods and perpetrators of enslavement.’

‘Like the Prussian war against the French in 1870?  That war united the German-speaking peoples as a country for the first time.’

‘I have not heard of this.’

‘The Prussian Chancellor, the Prime Minister, if you like, as they still had a king, wanted to unify the different German states into one large country dominated by his own state, Prussia, to give them more power collectively.  Bismarck used the Franco-Prussian war to unite all the German-speaking peoples against a common enemy, France.’

‘The Jaffa have already a common enemy.  We need seek no other foe.’

‘Then maybe you need a common purpose to unite you.  Is there anything else which is particularly symbolic to the Jaffa?’

‘There is one place,’ Teal’c said slowly.  ‘To speak even the name is anathema to the Jaffa.’

John waited for a moment but Teal’c didn’t expound on this.

‘Where or what is it, Teal’c?’

‘It is the temple in which the first Prim’ta ritual was performed, the placing of the larval Goa’uld within a young Jaffa.  This act made the Jaffa reliant upon the Goa’uld and into their slaves.  The planet is named Dakara and is a holy place for the Goa’uld.’

‘And could you use Dakara as a rallying point?  If it’s so abhorrent to the Jaffa?’

Teal’c was silent for a while.  ‘I think this might be possible.  To capture and hold Dakara in the name of the Free Jaffa would be both a demonstration of our strength and a symbol that the tyranny of the Goa’uld is at an end.’  He tossed his wooden staff aside.  ‘Our training is over for today, Colonel Sheppard.  I must seek the council of Master Bra’tac.’

John waved him away.  ‘Go.  Do what you need to do.  It’s important to get this right so don’t worry about me or the SGC.  We’ll still be here when you’re ready to come back.’

Teal’c gave him a full bow and left the gym.  John twirled his staff for a moment then set both of them back in the stand used to store them.

 _I hope this works out for him.  For all the Jaffa_.

********

John showered and headed back to his office.  It was barely 0930 and he had the whole day ahead of him.  He called in Rodney’s lab but he and Radek were busy with the information they had managed to rescue from P2R 977 and had no time to spare him.  His father was also busy with Alistair Fellowes, and while their work interested John he didn’t feel inclined to work on it right then.  Feeling a little depressed, he made his way to Jack’s office to tell him about Teal’c.  Fortunately, Jack was alone and quite happy to spend a few minutes chewing the fat with his XO.

‘Dakara, eh?  I think I remember Danny mentioning that place.  If it is such a symbolic place for the Jaffa and the Goa’uld it’ll make a great rallying point.  Beat the demons back and all that.’

John nodded and part of his mood must have made itself known to Jack as he sat back in his chair and smiled at him.  ‘Bored or just restless?’

John thought for a moment.  ‘A bit of both, I guess.  I’d been looking forward to a good training session with Teal’c but he’s gone off to discuss matters of state with Master Bra’tac.  I just feel out of sorts somehow.’

‘Do you need some sky time?’

‘Sky time?  You mean…’

‘Flying.  I remember what you said last night.  Why don’t we play hooky for a while and go find a plane?  It’s a while since you were up in an F-302, isn’t it?  You probably need to get some flying hours in.  Let me call Pendergast and get him to beam us both up for a few hours.  There’s nothing urgent happening down here, and Lorne can cope.  If anything serious happens and we’re needed, he can radio up to Kirkland and get us back.’

John grinned, a sense of anticipation rushing through him at the thought of flying again.  ‘Fantastic idea.  Give me five minutes to let Dad and Rodney know where we’re going.’

Jack nodded and John left the office with a bounce in his step.

_This ought to shake off both my boredom and restlessness._

********

Four hours later Prometheus beamed two happy and tired Air Force Officers back into the embarkation room.

‘Hi, honey, we’re home,’ Jack called out to Walter who sketched a salute in greeting.  ‘Did you miss us?  I see the place is still standing.  No wild parties while we were away?’

Walter’s voice echoed around the vast space as he bent to speak through the microphone.  ‘General Holland is waiting in your office, sir.’

‘Holland?  Was I expecting him?’

‘No, sir.  He came unannounced and wouldn’t let me recall either you or Colonel Sheppard.’

‘Thanks, Walter,’ Jack called out, then lowered his voice to a reasonable volume.  ‘It can’t be anything vital or Walter’d’ve  called us back.  Come on; recess is over.  We need to get back to work.’

Jack led the way through the control room and up to his office feeling much lighter in spirit and sure John felt the same way.  The hours spent in flight had done them both the world of good and he felt ready to face whatever problems Richard Holland might throw at them.

Holland was busy with a thick file of papers, many of them spread across Jack’s desk, and he looked up when they entered the office and gave a faint smile.

‘Good flight?’

‘Great, thanks, but what’s happened?  Why are you here?’ Jack asked.  ‘Not that we’re not pleased to see you at any time, of course,’ he added quickly, slipping into his seat.

Richard sat back in the one guest chair while John leaned against the wall.  ‘There’ve been…developments, shall we say.’

‘What developments?’

‘I had MI6 on the telephone late last night.  Russell Chapman suggested they call me, not knowing who else they could speak to.’

‘The Pentagon?  The White House?  Homeworld Security?  General Hammond?’ Jack suggested.

‘I understand it was a toss up between myself and George Hammond, and I’m not quite sure if I won or lost.’  Richard paused for a moment as though choosing his words carefully.  ‘Mr Smith, and I’m pretty sure that’s not his real name, said he believes the Prime Minister, in fact most of the British cabinet,  are, and I quote, ‘not quite themselves’.’

‘Snaked,’ Jack said flatly.

‘Smith wouldn’t say on an open telephone line, but that was the inference, yes.’

‘Christ!’  Jack rubbed his face with his hands.

‘That’s not all,’ Holland added, regret both in his tone of voice and on his face.  ‘Mr Smith suspects several other European leaders have suffered a similar fate.’

Jack closed his eyes and sank back against his chair, his face drained of colour.

John cleared his throat.  ‘Shall I get the usual team together, sir?’

‘Usual team?’ Richard enquired.

John gave a hesitant smile.  ‘It’s…a sort of unofficial command team, sir.  A group to bounce around ideas with?  Mostly regarding fighting the Trust.’

‘Then, absolutely, you need to get them together.  The more minds we have on this the better, I say.’

Jack gave him a tired nod, leagues away from the happy, energised person who’d returned only a few minutes earlier from flying a spaceship.  ‘Get them together in the briefing room, John.  And get Walter to sort out some sandwiches and drinks.  I think we might need them.’

John nodded and left the office, and Jack turned back to Holland.  ‘How bad is it, Richard?’

‘Bad enough that I’ve brought my wife with me.  Your Walter had a room prepared for us when we got here.  She’s in VIP quarters as we speak.  I had her sign a non-disclosure pack, but I doubt it’ll be necessary in the long run.  Disclosure is going to happen one way or another even if we’re _not_ ready for it.’

‘We’ve survived with much worse odds before today.’

‘This is a different enemy.  No, wait, hear me out.  The Goa’uld you fought before lived elsewhere in the galaxy.  They’re mixing in with Earth society now.  Short of an actual examination or having Teal’c permanently on hand, we have no way of identifying them.’

‘Until their eyes flash and turn gold.’

‘And how is that going to help the few of us who know about that if the host is in Europe, or even in New York?  And what about the implants Kinsey mentioned?  As far as we know, there are _no_ signs to those, and there are too few of us who can identify and know the real purpose of the Goa’uld anyway.  We can’t possibly fight six billion people, any number of whom might be our enemy, and if the enemy has infiltrated the government or, in this case, actually taken _over_ the government, who becomes the aggressor and who the defender?’

Jack lost what colour remained in his face.  ‘I…I…’. He sighed and rubbed his face again.  ‘C’mon, let’s go to the briefing room.  The others should be there by now.’

********

Jack knew Patrick would sense something was wrong the minute they walked through the door.  He was right.  Patrick took one look at his white face and rushed over.

‘Are you alright?  What’s happened?’  He turned his glare on Richard Holland.  ‘What’ve you said to him?’

Richard reached out and patted his shoulder.  ‘Sit down, Patrick.  I’ll tell you all together.’

Jack leaned against Patrick, appreciating his strength and compassion, and added his own plea.  ‘Come and sit down, Patrick.  We’re going to need everyone’s input on this.’

Jack took his usual seat and Patrick placed a couple of small sandwiches on a plate and passed it to him.  ‘You need to eat something, Jack.  You’re as white as a sheet.’

Jack gave a laugh devoid of any humour.  ‘Wait until you hear what Richard has to tell us.’

Patrick eyed Richard momentarily then gave a small nod.  ‘Okay.  Get something to eat and drink.  I get the feeling we’re going to need it.’

Richard repeated the details he’d given Jack and John, then sat back in his seat.  Jack saw the colour leave the faces of those around the table.

‘What…’  Patrick coughed to clear his throat of a sudden lump.  ‘How bad is it?’

‘Jack just asked me the same question.  I’ll tell you what I told him.  Bad enough that I’ve brought Amelia to stay here when I go back to New York.’

‘Is it safe for you to go back, sir?’ John asked.  ‘The last thing we want or need is for you to be snaked or implanted as well.’

‘I’m not particularly keen on it either so for the moment I’d like to leave Amelia in your care while I sort out a few things in New York.  With your permission, Jack, I’d like to transfer my office to the Mountain as soon as I can.’  He paused for a moment and glanced around, then continued.  ‘I’ve also been in contact with Francis Haigh; he’s been keeping a weather eye on developments in DC.’

‘And?’ Jack pressed.

‘He has several acquaintances in both the House and Senate and believes more than a few are acting…slightly out of character.  Not enough to raise suspicions in anyone not looking out for such things but enough to concern him, especially after Kinsey’s revelations about the Pentagon.  Whoever is in the driving seat of the Trust is gaining more allies almost by the day.’

‘What does that mean for us?’ Lorne asked, frowning.

‘It means that we’re getting close to the point when the SGC will be targetted directly,’ Jack said quietly.  ‘To be honest, I’m surprised we’ve not been ordered to hand over control before now.’

‘I think we came close to it when Kovach came sniffing round,’ Richard admitted.  ‘I think the only thing preventing a wholesale takeover is President Hayes still supporting us.’

‘And if they get to him?’ John asked.

‘Then the whole country, maybe even the whole planet is lost.’

Jack glanced at John and read the question in his eyes.

‘Yes, John.  I think it’s time to discuss Operation Dynamo and the Listed with Richard.’

‘Listed?’ Holland asked.

‘A list we began a few months ago of people we want to take with us if we need to evacuate the SGC.’

Richard raised his eyebrows.  ‘Evacuate to where?  And under what circumstances?’

Jack took a deep breath.  ‘The original plan was, if possible, to evacuate all SGC personnel and the Listed to our Alpha or Beta sites.  The circumstances vary from an attack similar to that of Anubis to…’  He swallowed.  ‘To an attack on the whole planet.  If _that_ happens, the President and _his_ Listed will be evacuated to our Iota site—’

‘Iota site?  What’s that?’

‘A site we’ve created as a refuge for the President and politicians.’

A hint of a smile was emerging on Holland’s face.  ‘I think ‘Iota’ has some significance here?’

‘Idiot Site,’ Rodney announced.  ‘My idea.  I claim _all_ the credit for it.  Saves us getting confused as to where everyone is.  The Pi site didn’t quite work as O’Neill kept glazing over with thoughts of apples and peaches, so, Iota.  Idiot Site.’

Holland grinned.  ‘An inspired choice, Dr McKay, if I may say so.’

Rodney preened a little in the admiration until Jack saw him wince and glare at John, who, if he had to guess, had just kicked him or pinched his leg.

McKay’s revelation about the ‘Idiot Site’ had relieved the room of some of its oppressive atmosphere and when Holland gestured for Jack to continue he did so with a much lighter mien.

‘We put the plan together after the Expedition left for Atlantis and I noticed how light they were on certain items.  They only took enough food for three months, for example, despite knowing the new X-304 wouldn’t be finished for up to a year.  There’s a whole host of things we came up with.  It’s all being stored in crystals designed by Rodney and his staff, and we have regular drills to keep everyone cognisant with our evacuation protocols.’

Richard nodded as he thought this through.  ‘Are Amelia and I on your list?’

‘Yes, sir,’ John nodded.  ‘We don’t refer to it in email and I think we just forgot to ask or tell you when we’ve seen you.  With the SGC there’s almost always a storm of some sort either brewing or actually happening.  Lyle’s on the list as well, if he’s back in the US.  If he’s not…’  John pressed his lips together tightly.  ‘We can’t guarantee he’ll be picked up but I promise you we’ll do our best.’  He gave a humourless smile.  ‘I didn’t save his ass to let him become a slave to a snake.’

‘I appreciate it.  What about the other Listed?’

Jack frowned.  ‘We had hoped to have enough time to get the Daedalus completed and launched and so be able to use her transportation beam to bring everyone to the Mountain, but if world governments are falling to the Trust as fast as they appear to be doing, we may have to start bringing what Listed we can to the Mountain, for their own safety as much as anything else.  I—’  He broke off as Walter appeared.  ‘Problem?’ he asked, one eyebrow raised.

‘I…I think you need to go to your office, sir.’  Walter was frowning and had his head tilted to one side as though listening to something.  ‘Now, sir!’

Jack left his chair at speed, followed closely by Patrick and John, the latter pulling his M14 from his thigh holster as they went.

Whatever Jack had been expecting, it wasn’t to find Daniel Jackson laying bare-ass on the floor behind the desk.

‘Umm.  Hi?’  Jackson gave a little wave which meant moving one of his hands which had been…sheltering him.  Jack gave a squawk Rodney would have been proud of and covered his face.

‘Gah!  My eyes!  My eyes!  Jesus Christ, Danny!  Get…put something around you, for fuck sake!’

A grin almost splitting his face, John went to pull down the flag nearest to him and stopped at the sound of outrage from O’Neill.

‘Not the Stars and Stripes, you doofus!’

John pulled the SGC flag from its pole and handed it to Jackson with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

‘Don’t think I won’t tell Rodney about this,’ O’Neill continued to bitch.

‘Tell Rodney what?’ McKay demanded, appearing in the doorway.

‘Sheppard.  Eyeing up Danny’s…attributes!’

‘I appreciate beauty in all its forms,’ John defended himself.

‘Yeah, tell that to the Marines,’ Jack snarked while Rodney pushed past Patrick to slap the back of John’s head.

‘Ow!’

‘Just a warning shot!’ McKay told him.

Jack shook his head and turned his attention to a now covered Daniel.  ‘Just what is wrong with those ascended twats they always drop you buck-ass naked, anyway?’

Daniel struggled to his feet, one hand holding the flag around his waist.  ‘I’m not sure, but I do have some information you need to hear.’

‘Good or bad information?’  Jack narrowed his eyes in suspicion.  ‘I think I’ve had all the bad information I can take for the day.’

‘Why?  What’s happened?’

‘Today in particular? Or since you got yourself blown up?  And don’t think we won’t be having words about that.’  Jack pointed a finger at him.  ‘I’m not above tanning your ass if it’ll make you listen to what I tell you to do.’

‘Jack!  You can’t say things like that,’ Daniel huffed.

‘I just did.’

‘So, what have I missed?’ Daniel tried changing the subject.

‘Come back to the briefing room and we’ll fill you in.’

‘I think I need to get some clothes on first.’

‘I’ll get someone to bring some here for you,’ John offered, grinning.  ‘You won’t want to walk through the base dressed in nothing but a flag and a smile!’

Jack rolled his eyes and strolled back to the briefing room, the others trotting along behind him.  He settled himself back into his seat and looked around.  ‘Now.  Where were we?’

‘You were talking about bringing the Listed to the Mountain,’ John offered, slipping into his chair.  ‘Where are we going to put them all?’

‘Is it worth beginning to send people through to the Alpha site?’ Holland suggested.  ‘If that’s where they’re going to go.’

The expression on his face implied his suspicions of the Alpha site not being the final destination, but Jack wouldn’t be drawn.  ‘Where else would they go?’

Richard sat back in his chair and sighed.  ‘Jack, if you’re not going to be upfront with me, I might as well leave now.  I’ve been totally honest with you and have even put my wife in your care, for fuck’s sake.’

‘Atlantis will be our final destination,’ Patrick said quietly.

‘I suspected it might be.  Have you got the power to get us there?’

Jack inclined his head but didn’t elaborate any further.

‘Then what are you waiting for?’

He was saved from answering by the entrance of Daniel, now, thankfully, dressed in his usual BDUs and T-shirt.

‘So, what’s happened?  Why is General Holland here?  Not that I’m not pleased to see you, sir, but—’

‘Danny, take a breath, sit down, and tell us what’s so important,’ Jack instructed, sighing when his friend reached for the coffee first.

A rather undignified struggle commenced between McKay and Jackson for control of the coffee pot, saved only by Walter’s reappearance with a second full one.

Jack gave an exasperated sigh.  ‘Danny!  Focus!  What’s so important?  What happened to you?  Did you ascend again?

Daniel held up his hand as though to ward him off.  ‘Whoa!  So many questions!’

‘If you actually started talking instead of fighting with McKay…’

‘Right.  Sorry.  Where shall I begin?’

‘How about when you died and ascended?’

‘I didn’t ascend.  I…sort of…half ascended.’  He paused as though waiting for someone to say something.

‘Daniel!’ Jack growled warningly.

‘Okay, okay.  After the explosion, I found myself in some sort of diner.  The waitress was Ganos Lal—’

‘Stop!  Wait!  Who, now?’ Jack demanded.

‘Ganos Lal.  You probably know her better as Morgan Le Fay.  Yeah, apparently the legends of King Arthur are based on Ancients who ascended.  Anyway, she explained I hadn’t ascended but was in a sort of halfway house where I could decide to ascend or not.’

‘Why Morgan Le Fay and not Oma Desala?’ Jack asked, frowning at him.

‘That’s my news, or part of it, at least.  Oma has engaged Anubis in a perpetual battle.’  He paused again and grinned at them.

Jack sighed again.  ‘Daniel, can you, _please_ , be a little clearer?’

‘What’s unclear?  Oma Desala was the one who originally helped Anubis to ascend.  Once the Others found out his true nature, though, they de-ascended him, but only halfway to punish Oma.  She got to witness what he did to the galaxy, you see.  It didn’t matter to them that he killed thousands of innocents, or that he enslaved thousands more.  When you ‘killed’ him, Jack, he tried to re-ascend again, but Oma was able to fight him and keep him fighting, and so prevent him from doing anything else.  If he stops fighting, she’ll be able to obliterate him.’

‘Oookay,’ Jack said slowly.  ‘So Anubis is now taken care of, right?  What about the other Goa’uld?  What about Ba’al?’

Daniel looked blank.  ‘What _about_ Ba’al?  What’s he got to do with Anubis?’

‘You said you had important news.  What is it?’

‘That’s it.  Anubis being in perpetual battle with Oma Desala is my important news.’

Jack sat back in his seat.  ‘Oh.  Okay, then.  Thank you.  At least we don’t have to worry about Anubis again, I suppose.’

‘You don’t sound particularly grateful.’

‘I’m grateful for the news but it doesn’t help with our current problem.’

‘What current problem?’

‘Several heads of government in Europe have been snaked,’ John informed him, helpfully.  ‘And so have some of ours.’

‘Oh, crap!’

‘Crap, indeed,’ Jack agreed.  ‘Now d’you understand why we’re all so concerned?’

‘Is it Ba’al?  Is that why you asked about him?’

‘We can’t be certain.  Probably, since his Jaffa were the ones who attacked P2R 977, _and_ he had a mole inside the SGC.’

‘A _mole_?’

‘You’ve missed quite a bit.’  John smiled at him.  ‘Bill Lee has been under the influence of some drug and is now being dried out by Dr Fraiser; we had a mole who gave the location of P2R 977 to Ba’al, and Kinsey’s locked up on level 22.’

‘ _Kinsey_?  Why is he locked up?’

‘He wants to be beamed to start a new life in New Zealand,’ Jack told him.  ‘We can fill you in later.  We were discussing the prospect of starting to bring the Listed to the SGC and maybe send them to the Alpha site.’

‘Why not send them straight through to Atlantis?’

Jack hesitated for a moment.  ‘I…I don’t want to send them in dribs and drabs.  Aside from the massive amount of power it’ll take I…I think we need to go through together.  Don’t ask me why because I don’t know.  I just…It’s all of us or none of us.’

‘What about Prometheus?’ Richard asked.  ‘Are you intending to take her as well?’

‘I’d like to, Daedalus too, if she’s finished in time.  For a start it protects the crew but more importantly, unless the Expedition has discovered a hanger full of spaceships, we’ll need her if we want to come back and make a serious attempt to clear Earth from its snake infestation.’

‘That is going to be our plan, then?’ John asked.  ‘I know you and I talked about it but it was a while ago now, and…’  He shrugged his shoulders.

‘It will be our absolute priority,’ Jack told him.  ‘I asked McKay to look at a way of weaponising the symbiote poison the Tok’ra gave us as that will most likely be our best chance of getting rid of the Goa’uld here on Earth.  Where are you on that, Rodney?’

McKay pulled a face.  ‘We’re having problems with a dispersal method, at least one which will reach the whole of Earth.  If even a part of it is missed, it’ll make eradicating them all the more difficult.’

‘Take your time.  It’s not vital at present so I’d rather you did it right than do it quickly and get it wrong.  Maybe Carter can come up with something?’

Rodney scowled at this suggestion and opened his mouth to complain but Jack held up his hand.  ‘Ah, ah.  I know you think she cuts corners and tries some crazy ideas, but she’s managed to come up with more than a few things that’ve pulled us out of a hole a number of times.  Just ask her, it’s all I’m suggesting.’

Very grudgingly, Rodney nodded.

‘So that’s where we are.’  Jack nodded to Daniel.  ‘Thoughts?’

‘I agree with all or none regarding Atlantis.  Something Ganos Lal said to me made me wonder if things weren’t quite…right on Atlantis.’

‘What did she say?’ Patrick asked, tilting his head slightly.

‘I can’t remember!  I do remember Atlantis being mentioned,’ Daniel said, frustration coming off him in waves.  ‘I just can’t quite remember.’

‘It might come back later,’ Jack said comfortingly.  ‘For the moment, we’ll start to bring people in and push them through to the Alpha site.’

‘We need to station someone with them who has the address for Atlantis,’ Daniel added.  ‘Just in case something happens.’

Jack watched him for a few seconds, thinking things through.  ‘How about you?’

‘Me?  Why me?’

‘Because everyone thinks you’re dead.  Plus you already know the address so we won’t have to give it to anyone else.’

‘One or two people here have seen me today.’

‘Doesn’t matter.  We can trust them.’  Daniel still didn’t look convinced so Jack tried a different tack.  ‘Look, Danny, outside of this room only Walter knows the address to the city.  I want to keep it that way if at all possible.’

‘I don’t know it,’ Patrick pointed out.  ‘And nor does Richard.’

‘And that’s the way I prefer it stays,’ Jack returned.  ‘If you don’t know it, you can’t let it slip or be forced to give it out.  And that’s my last word on it.’

 

##  **Chapter Fourteen**

The high pitched note of the klaxon for an unscheduled off-world activation sounded around the SGC.  John glanced at his watch, then remembered only Teal’c was off-world, so he jumped to his feet and hurried down to the control room to see Jack had beaten him there.

‘What’ve we got, Walter?’ Jack demanded.

‘IDC coming through from the…Tok’ra, sir.  It’s the Tok’ra.’

Jack and John exchanged glances of surprise.  John knew there had been no contact with the Tok’ra after Jacob Carter died the previous year and precious little contact in the preceding eighteen months before Carter and Sel’mak’s death.  That they were now making contact after so long was…disturbing.

‘Lower the shield,’ Jack said at length.  ‘Let’s see what they want this time.  Likely nothing good – for us, at least.’

A man of average height with average brown hair emerged from the wormhole and strolled down the ramp, glancing at the SFs on either side with a supercilious air.  Jack and John watched him for a moment then jogged down from the control room to meet him.

‘Colonel O’Neill.’  The stranger greeted Jack in the deep, slightly echoey voice of a symbiote.

‘Delek,’ Jack replied, neutrally.  ‘It’s General O’Neill, now.  I’ve been promoted.  This is my executive officer, Colonel John Sheppard.  John, Delek of the Tok’ra High Council.’

John nodded to him and, in return, was subjected to a thorough visual examination.  At length, Delek returned his nod and looked back at O’Neill.

‘I have several questions to ask.  May we remove to somewhere…less public?’

Jack regarded him for a moment then turned on his heel.  ‘Follow me.’

As they left the embarkation room and headed up through the control room to the briefing room, two SFs fell into step behind John and followed them up the steps while two extra SFs arrived in the gate room, alerted by the troop leader.  John realised this must be standard procedure when the Tok’ra came to the SGC and was a perceptible demonstration of the distrust between the Tok’ra and the Tau’ri.

Once in the briefing room, one SF remained by the staircase and the other took up position by the door to the corridor while the other three men seated themselves with Jack in his usual seat at the head of the table in another demonstration, this time of authority.

‘How can the Tau’ri aid the Tok’ra today?’ Jack asked, a decidedly insincere smile upon his face.

‘We demand the return of the subspace receiver Sel’mak gave to you.’

John managed not to let his surprise show on his face, while Jack’s facial muscles never even twitched.

‘You are aware that Jacob Carter and Sel’mak are…deceased?’ Jack asked, irony evident in his tone.

Delek – or his host, John reminded himself – flushed.  ‘We know he gave it to you before his passing.  We demand it is returned to us.’

‘Oh, you demand, do you?  Well, that makes all the difference.  He _demands_ , John.’

‘I heard him, General.  And I’m wondering how he thinks he’ll get what he wants by making demands of an ally.’

‘An _alleged_ ally, John.’

Delek rose to his feet.  ‘I can see that it was a mistake to believe the Tau’ri would aid us.  I told the rest of the High Council this would be your response but one or two of them said I was wrong and wanted me to try.’

‘And how has that worked out for you?’ Jack asked in an interested voice which held a hint of steel.  ‘Sit down, Delek, and explain what you want _nicely_ since Jacob didn’t give us any receiver.’

Delek studied him for a moment.  ‘If he didn’t give it to you, it must still be amongst his belongings.  I de— would request to see them.’

‘There, that’s better, isn’t it?’  Jack nodded to Delek and got to his feet.  ‘Jacob’s belongings are still in his daughter’s lab.  I’ll take you there myself and you can search for whatever it is you want.’  He moved towards the door and looked back at Delek.  ‘Well?  Are you coming or not?’

Delek stood up and followed Jack without a word, John trailing along behind them with the SFs following him.

It took a couple of minutes to get to Sam Carter’s lab on level 19 and Jack went directly to a locker in the corner, pulled a set of keys from his pocket and selected one.  The lock opened immediately and a bundle of assorted items fell onto the floor.  John helped his friend to collect them up, making sure Delek could see they weren’t trying to hide anything and laid them out on a bench.

‘Come and look for yourself.  There’s no transmitter or receiver here.’

Jack and John both stood aside and allowed Delek to search through the stuff on the bench.  It took only a couple of minutes for him to look up at them.

‘It’s not here.’

‘That’s what I was trying to tell you.  Jacob didn’t give _anything_ to us.’

‘And his daughter?  Where is she?  He might have passed it on to her.’

‘She’s been working off base for a few months, and no, you can’t speak to her.’

Delek shuffled his feet, unsure of what to do next.  John decided to help him out.

‘Shall we go back and sit in comfort?  Have a drink, perhaps?’

‘Good idea, John,’ Jack agreed.  ‘Pie always helps me think.  Let’s go to the mess before the lunch rush starts.’

The strange procession made its way to the mess where one of the staff helpfully brought over coffee and pie for Jack.

‘Tell us more about this receiver thingy, Delek.  What is it and why did you think Jacob had given it to us?’

Delek eyed him suspiciously for a moment then relaxed his shoulders a little.  ‘The Tok’ra have spent the last few years fixing beacons to as many Goa’uld ships as they can to track their movements via subspace.  We can thus plot their positions and see them on a map of the galaxy.’

Jack stilled, a spoon halfway to his mouth.  He placed it carefully back on his plate and took a breath.  ‘That would have been extremely useful to us on many, many occasions.  Why didn’t the Tok’ra share it with us?  With their allies?’

Delek shrugged.  ‘The High Council felt the Tau’ri couldn’t be trusted, especially after the events on the planet you called P3X-984, your Alpha site.  After the passing of Sel’mak, we had little reason to contact you again.’

‘You mean there was nothing we had that you wanted.’  It wasn’t a question.

Delek’s eyes wouldn’t meet Jack’s.  ‘Perhaps.  You have very different goals to us.’

‘We have the _same_ goal,’ Jack ground out.  ‘The eradication of the System Lords.’

Delek flushed again.  ‘Than shall we agree that our methods are very different?’

‘Oh, we can agree on that alright,’ Jack retorted.  ‘How many Systems Lords have you done away within the last six hundred years?  None?  And how many have we got rid of in _six_ years?  Directly?  Eight.  Indirectly?  Nine or ten.  Yes, we have very different methods.’

Delek replaced his coffee cup carefully on the table and got to his feet.  ‘Then I think our conversation is over, General O’Neill.  Please take me back to the Chappa’ai.  I wish to return to my base.’

Not a word was spoken as they made their way back to the embarkation room, although the undercurrent spoke volumes.  Jack and John watched Delek step through the event horizon.

‘Bastard!’ Jack muttered as the gate closed down and the iris swept into place.  ‘C’mon.’

‘Where?’ John demanded, following him regardless.

‘Williamson’s gear.  If Jacob did have it, Williamson’d’ve undoubtedly taken it, and he might still have it.’

‘But even we didn’t know what it was for.’

‘Wouldn’t matter.  The kid took anything his paymasters might have found useful.’

Jack led them directly to Lorne’s small office a couple of levels above their own and opened the door even as he knocked.  ‘Have you got the gear from Williamson’s bunk, Lorne?’

Lorne looked up in surprise from his paperwork – _my_ paperwork John corrected himself.  ‘Sir?  What—?  Yessir.  Over in the corner, sir.’

Jack tipped out a small cardboard box directly onto Lorne’s desk.  Amongst the lurid, tatty paperbacks and miscellany of detritus was a small lever type device.  Jack picked it up and turned it over.

‘I didn’t know what that was, sir,’ Lorne told him.  ‘It didn’t appear to do anything so I left it with the rest of his stuff.’

‘It just might be the answer to some of our prayers,’ Jack murmured, half to himself.  ‘John?  Get McKay down here.’

John touched his radio.  ‘Rodney?  Can you come down to Lorne’s office, please?’

_‘Why?’_

‘We’ve found something we need you to see.’

_‘What?’_

‘Come down!’

_‘Where is Lorne’s office?’_

‘Level 23.’

Rodney appeared a couple of minutes later.  Jack held out the small device and explained what he thought it should do.

‘Bastards!’ Rodney muttered, turning it over in his hands.  ‘I need to show this to Radek.  He might have some ideas of how to activate it.’  He trotted out of Lorne’s office and turned his head.  ‘Well?  Are you lot coming or not?’

Lorne joined John and Jack as they followed McKay.

‘What about your paperwork?’ John murmured to him.

‘ _Your_ paperwork, sir,’ Lorne murmured back.  ‘It’ll wait.’

John grinned at him and slapped his shoulder.  ‘You’re learning, Evan.’

Radek was as interested in the device as Rodney had been and pretty soon the pair were chattering away to each other half in English and half in Czech.

‘I didn’t think you spoke Czech, McKay,’ John told him.

‘What made you think that?’  Rodney spared him a glance while fiddling with cables and connections.

‘Because you told me you couldn’t?’

‘When did I do that?’

John watched him for a moment and shook his head.  ‘Never mind.  What are you doing?’

‘Trying to connect it to a monitor and a power source.’

‘Will it work?’ Jack demanded.  ‘Can you get it to work?’

‘Yes, if you stop bothering me with inane questions.’

It only took a few more minutes before the monitor flickered, then came to life.  A number of red dots appeared, followed by several more, and still more.

‘Jesus Christ!’ Jack muttered.  ‘Is that what I think it is?’

‘If you mean is that a map displaying Goa’uld ships in the Milky Way, then, yes, it is.’

‘Why are they all clustered around that larger red dot?’  John pointed at a mass of red in one corner of the screen.

Radek fiddled with the device for a moment, and the screen zoomed in closer to that one point.

‘What is it?’ Jack asked.  ‘Red surrounded by red.  What is it?’

‘I don’t…’ Rodney began then paused and looked at Radek.  ‘Do you think—’

‘ _Ano_ , _ano_!’

‘I think it’s the space station Jackson went to once,’ Rodney told them.  ‘Hasara, remember?  When he tried to poison the System Lords.’

‘He didn’t actually get around to trying,’ Jack answered absently.  ‘Christ!  There must be forty ships there.’

‘A meeting of some sort?’ John suggested.

‘Mmm.  Maybe.  Why though?  Why would they all meet up now?’

‘I don’t—  Wait!’  John pointed to the screen where red dots were disappearing.  ‘What’s happening?’

‘It…it looks as though ships are being destroyed,’ Radek said in an uncertain voice.

‘More than that,’ Rodney added.  ‘The whole station’s been destroyed.’

The five men watched as, one by one, the red dots blinked out.

‘What just happened?’ John asked in a hushed voice.

‘I’m not sure, but I think someone’s just wiped out most of the System Lords,’ Jack said quietly.  ‘The question is, who did it?’

********

The sound of the base klaxon activating brought all five men out of their reverie and, as one, they turned and raced to the control room.

‘It’s the Tok’ra again, sir,’ Walter announced as the group entered the control room.

‘Let them through,’ Jack ordered.  ‘Let’s see what they want this time.’

‘Is it a coincidence that forty ships and Hasara have just been destroyed?’ John murmured as they watched the iris spin open, revealing the blue of an event horizon.

‘Not in the slightest,’ Jack returned.

The group remained in the control room and watched as a stranger made his way down the ramp.

‘D’you know him?’ Lorne asked.

Jack shook his head.  ‘Not him, no.’

The stranger halted at the foot of the ramp and gazed up at the control room.  ‘General O’Neill?’ he asked in deep tones.

Jack leaned forward and spoke into the microphone.  ‘That’s me.’  He gave a little wave.

The stranger’s expression didn’t change.  ‘I am Per’sus, Supreme High Councillor of the Tok’ra.’

‘Hey, Per’sus.  What do you want?’

Per’sus bowed his head to hide the flash of the eyes common between the Tok’ra and the Goa’uld and looked up again.  ‘I wish to discuss a situation with you, General O’Neill,’ he said in a normally pitched voice.

‘And who am I talking to now?’

‘I am Kilik, host of Per’sus.’

Kilik met O’Neill’s gaze and after a moment or two, O’Neill nodded.  ‘Two of the security forces will bring you to our briefing room.’

Kilik inclined his head and glanced around for the SFs.  Two men moved from their positions to flank him, one of them pointing towards the opening door through which two more SFs entered.  It all happened smoothly and Jack felt a stab of pride at the efficiency with which the embarkation room guards did their jobs.  He gave Kilik a second nod, turned around and ushered John and Lorne up the staircase from the confines of the control room to the spacious briefing room while Rodney and Radek returned to their lab.

The SFs brought Kilik the long way round, entering the room from the corridor, giving Walter enough time to provide more carafes of coffee, removing the cold ones left from the meeting with Delek.

‘What situation do you wish to discuss?’ Jack asked Kilik once they were all settled around the table.  He made no effort to introduce the other men.

‘Delek reported that you do not have the receiver Jacob Carter stole from us.’

Jack made no reply and Kilik sighed then bowed his head again.  When he spoke again, it was in the echoed voice of a Tok’ra.

‘The receiver allows us to use a subspace network to observe the Goa’uld ships we have marked with a beacon as well as to receive reports from Tok’ra agents in the field.’

Jack managed to keep his face immobile at this piece of information.

‘Intelligence has reached us suggesting Ba’al is extremely interested in the Tau’ri and their homeworld and has spent much effort in recruiting supporters here.’

‘I guess that’s one way of putting it,’ John muttered.

A hint of a smile appeared on Kilik’s face and he nodded to John.  ‘As you say.’

There was another long pause.  Finally, Jack cleared his throat.  ‘What is it you want, Kilik?  Or Per’sus?  Whichever of you I’m talking to.’

Kilik bowed his head once more.  ‘I am Kilik, and you speak to both of us at all times.  As to what I want…I respect the alliance between our two peoples although many on the High Council disagree with me.  We have received essential information from our operatives which directly affects the Tau’ri and must, I believe, be shared with you.  I desire nothing from you, O’Neill, but instead, I wish to pass this information _to_ you.  Ba’al called a meeting of the High Council of the System Lords on the Hasara Space Station, of which I believe you are aware.’

Jack nodded while still keeping his face from betraying him.

‘The meeting was to take place today,’ Kilik continued.  ‘We had several Tok’ra on the Station serving several different System Lords.’

‘Had?’

‘The Space Station was destroyed a short while ago along with everyone on it.  The only System Lord who was not present was Ba’al.’  Kilik gave a tight smile.  ‘You understand now why Ba’al’s interest in the Tau’ri and their homeworld is so significant to all of us.’

‘He’s the last remaining System Lord,’ Jack murmured.

‘He is the last _significant_ remaining System Lord,’ Kilik corrected.  ‘Bar Anubis.’  He met O’Neill’s eyes.  ‘We have no information on his fate.’

‘There, I _can_ help you,’ Jack replied flippantly.  ‘He tried to ascend and was trapped in a fight with one of the Ascended Ancients we know.’

‘Trapped?’

‘Perpetual battle, eternal fight.’  Jack waved his hand airily.  ‘Something like that.’

‘And how did this information come to you?’

‘That would be me,’ Daniel said from the doorway.  ‘Hi.’

Kilik raised an eyebrow in a manner eerily similar to Teal’c.

‘Dr Daniel Jackson meet Kilik, or Per’sus when he’s…you know.’  Jack waved his hand again.

Daniel nodded to him and slid into a seat next to Lorne.  ‘I ascended again after I was killed on…off-world.’  He gave Kilik a tight smile.  ‘Half-ascended, at least.  Long story short, I met an Ancient, one of the Gatebuilders, who filled me in with what happened to Anubis.  He’s out of our hair now, for good.’

‘You are certain of this?’

‘Oh, yeah.’

‘Did you want something in particular, Dr Jackson?’ Jack inquired politely.

‘No.  I just…I heard the Tok’ra were here and thought I’d come introduce myself before I go to the Alpha site.  Be polite.’

‘Apparently, Ba’al has destroyed the Hasara Station and all the other _significant_ System Lords with it.’

‘Along with several Tok’ra spies,’ John added.

‘Oh.  Wow.  Umm.  How do you know this?’

‘The Tok’ra have a special receiver thingy which allows them to see where all the Goa’uld ships are.  Or, in this case, where they’re not.’

‘That would have been a handy device to have had.’

Jack nodded in agreement, pleased Daniel had arrived when he did to help convince Kilik they didn’t have the receiver.  He thought that through again and frowned inwardly.  It was a little _too_ convenient in retrospect, and he narrowed his eyes as he watched Daniel.

‘Is there any other information you can give us?’ John was asking when Jack tuned back into the main conversation.

Kilik tilted his head to one side.  ‘Such as?’

‘Knowing where Ba’al’s ships are would certainly be of interest to us,’ John told him.  ‘Having a receiver of our own would also be helpful.  Since we’ve not got one,’ he added.

‘I doubt the High Council will authorise me to give one to you.’

‘But you’ve already shown you don’t care what the rest of the High Council think, haven’t you?’ Jack said quietly.

Kilik stared at him for a moment then reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar device.  ‘I believe your scientists will understand how to use it.’  He glanced down at it then passed it over to Jack.  ‘Our methods may be very different but our goals remain the same, and I intend to honour our agreement with the Tau’ri.  This device will also allow you to contact me through the subspace network should you require my help again.’  He smiled at them, and Jack noticed it now reached his eyes.  ‘And now I must leave.’

********

Jack and John watched from the control room as Kilik stepped into the open wormhole.

‘That was…unexpected,’ Jack commented at length.

‘He knew we’d found the other receiver.’

‘Undoubtedly.  I wonder if this one is the same or if it has a few other extras.’  Jack held up the receiver and turned it over.

‘Only one way to find out.’

Almost as one, the two officers turned to leave the control room when the gate began to dial and the klaxon began to sound.

‘Isn’t there some way to turn that damn thing off?’ Jack asked, shaking his head as though to get rid of the ringing.

Walter hit a button and the Klaxon stopped.  ‘Unsched—’

‘Yeah, yeah, we got it,’ Jack muttered.  ‘Who is it now?’

Walter waited until the gate finished dialling and the familiar sound of the kawoosh was heard.  ‘I’m getting an IDC from the Alpha site, sir.’

‘The Alpha site?  Are we expecting them?’

‘No, sir.’

‘Lower the iris and let them through.’

The iris spun outwards and several figures staggered through the event horizon, some holding the others upright.

‘Medical Emergency in the embarkation room,’ Walter barked into his radio as Jack and John hurried for the stairs.

‘What the hell’s happened?’ Jack demanded as he helped an injured Marine down the ramp and out of the way as more and more troops filed through the wormhole, the injuries getting progressively worse until the casualties began to emerge on stretchers.

Jack glanced up as the wormhole closed and saw a Marine Colonel fighting his way through the crowd to get to him, blood streaming down his face and a rough dressing around his arm.

‘The Alpha site’s been attacked, sir,’ he informed him.  ‘We had no warning at all before energy weapons fired upon us from several Al’kesh.  Some of our people were killed or trapped when the main building collapsed.  I’d like permission to return with a couple of teams and try to rescue them, sir.’

‘You don’t look to be in any state to return, Colonel Norris.’

‘I’m fine, sir, I just…I need to rescue my men.  You know how it is, General.’

Jack nodded.  ‘How many of your people are missing?’

‘Fifteen are missing, sir.  Eight men were killed in the initial bombardment as they were in the training yard.  Almost all the rest were able to get to the lower levels and evacuate, but six men were outside the perimeter of the compound as we’d noticed some irregular surges in parts of the fencing.’

‘Do you think the two are connected?’

Norris shook his head.  ‘I don’t know, sir, but I do want to go back and try and locate the missing as well as…’  He paused a moment and swallowed.  ‘I want to bring the dead back home, sir.’

‘Understood.  Go let Medical check you over and clean you up a little, then come back and we’ll make some plans.’

Norris offered him a salute and limped away.

‘Do you think it was Ba’al?’ John asked quietly.

‘I’m not sure who else it could have been given he’s killed off most of the other System Lords.  ‘I’m more concerned he knew where—’  He broke off as the Stargate began to dial and the klaxon sounded again.  ‘Jesus fucking Christ!  Now what?!’

‘It’s the Beta site, sir,’ Walter called down.  ‘I’ll notify Medical.’

Once again injured Marines and Airmen poured through the wormhole though not as many as before since the Beta, Gamma, and Delta sites had fewer personnel stationed there.  John stepped away from the influx of injured men and medical people to make an all-base announcement asking for all medically trained personnel and blood donors to present themselves at the infirmary while Jack looked amongst the injured for the Beta site commander.

‘Sir?’  A young captain Jack hadn’t noticed stood to attention while cradling a clearly broken arm.

‘Captain…’

‘Captain Collins, sir.  I’m—’  The young man gulped.  ‘I’m the most senior person left, sir.  Major Swift and Captain Booth were killed when the roof collapsed.’

Jack nodded and closed his eyes.  After the Kull Warriors invaded the first Alpha site and killed so many Free Jaffa and Tok’ra, subsequent secondary sites were constructed underground as much as was possible.  It meant, however, that if the sites were attacked from the air, they were likely to collapse in on themselves, as had apparently happened to both the Alpha and Beta sites.

‘Go and get treated, son,’ Jack told him gently, feeling each of his fifty-one years.  _Christ!  He’s barely twenty-seven._

********

Rodney muttered under his breath as he cleared space in his wardrobe for John’s Dress Blues and a couple of formal shirts.

‘That’s all I can manage,’ he told John, indicating the six inches of space available.

‘I’ll survive,’ John returned as he tried to squeeze his three hangers onto the packed rail.  ‘Did you clear any drawer space for me?’

‘One,’ Rodney said grudgingly.  ‘But it’s a large one.  And you can have the top drawer of the bedside table on your side of the bed.’

‘Just the top drawer?  What’s in the other ones?’

‘Just…stuff.’

‘What stuff?’

Rodney sighed.  ‘The bits and pieces of life one collects over time.  I’ve lived here for over three years and I’ve got drawers of crap to prove it.  If we’d had more time I’d’ve cleared more space for you, but we didn’t so…just deal with it, can’t you?’

John moved into his personal space and pulled him into a hug.  ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered into Rodney’s hair.  ‘We need the space, though, and it was easier for me to move in with you than the other way round.  Just be grateful we don’t have to sleep four to a room as Lorne has to.’

‘Four to a room?’

‘Mmm.  His bed’s been swapped for a single one, and three camp beds have been brought in.  I think Siler’s bought up every camp bed and mattress in Colorado today.  You and I, and Jack and Dad are the only people who don’t have to share with as many people as can be squashed into a room.  Some of the junior enlisted are sleeping on mattresses in the gym and sports hall.  The Mountain’s almost as full as it can be and we still need to find space for all the Listed.’

‘Can’t we take over a hotel somewhere?  Or a warehouse?’

John pulled away from Rodney to look at him.  ‘A warehouse is a good idea.  I’ll suggest it to Jack tomorrow morning.’

Rodney nestled up against him again.  ‘How many people did we lose today?’

John pressed a kiss to the top of his head.  ‘Over sixty between the five sites.’

‘I can’t believe all our off-world bases were attacked.  Even the Idiot site.’

‘It certainly makes our planning much easier.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘There’s nowhere left in the Milky Way we can be sure is secure.  If the Delta and Idiot sites were attacked, nowhere is safe.’

‘Only Atlantis.’

John pulled him down onto the bed and wrapped his arms around him.  ‘Only Atlantis.’

 

##  **Chapter Fifteen**

Breakfast the following morning was a sombre affair with the catering staff working full out to get the extra two hundred people, on top of the usual four hundred personnel, fed and watered – or caffeine’d in the case of McKay and Jackson.  And all without a mistake in the labelling of the nut, gluten, and citrus products on offer.  No one was encouraged to hang around drinking coffee after they’d eaten, in fact it was quite the reverse as the tables were needed for other diners, and by 0830 the Master Sergeant in charge of the kitchens was able to report to O’Neill that everyone was squared away.

‘We’ll need to bring in a few extra supplies, though,’ MSgt Grimes advised O’Neill.  ‘If you don’t want us to have to break into the storage crystals.’

‘No, no, don’t do that,’ Jack told him.  ‘Take an SUV into Colorado Springs and get as much as you need.  Get as much as you can, in fact.  We still have people we need to bring in.’

‘More people, sir?  With all due respect, where the hell will we fit them?’

‘Dr McKay had a brainwave last night,’ Sheppard announced, joining them in O’Neill’s office.  ‘Morning, Sergeant Grimes.’

‘Morning, sir.  What brainwave?’

‘We need to hire a warehouse.  Preferably one not too far from here as all their food will need to be taken to them.’

Jack nodded slowly.  ‘It’s a good idea.  We’ll need more mattresses or camp beds.’

‘We’ll need more than that, sir,’ Grimes argued.  ‘We’ll need latrines and washing facilities as well.  And there’s no way I can provide any extra meals.  We’re at full output as it is.  What about a hotel?’

‘Security,’ John replied pulling a face.

Jack sighed and rubbed his face.  ‘It’s not even 0900 and I’ve already got a headache.  Leave it with us, Sergeant.  We’ll get back to you.’

‘And the supplies, sir?’

‘Get as much as you can.  Take several folks with you and clear the shelves if necessary.  You’ve got access to an SGC credit card, haven’t you?  We’ll work on the rest.’

Grimes saluted and hurried out while Jack sat back in his chair and closed his eyes.  ‘Why the hell did I let them pin stars on my uniform?’

‘If it were General Hammond in that chair the same problems would still be here,’ John told him, throwing himself into the single visitor chair.  ‘Prometheus?’

‘Already full to bursting.  Pendergast can’t _get_ anyone else on board, especially as they might need to fight.  Speaking of which, did you get a chance to look at the Tok’ra device thingy this morning?’

‘Not yet.  Should I ask Rodney to check?’

‘Let’s go and see him ourselves.’

‘You just want to hide in case anything else happens.’

‘And your problem with that is…?’

‘I’m right behind you, sir.’

********

They discovered McKay in his office about to tear his hair out.  ‘ _I_ don’t know, Folger.  We’ve got an extra forty scientists in the Mountain and we have to put them _somewhere_!  Suck it up and share nicely or I’ll, I’ll…Just do it, okay?’  He threw the telephone receiver against the wall whereupon it smashed into several bits.  ‘Fucking idiot!’

‘Have we come at a bad moment?’ John asked, leaning against the doorframe.  ‘You never use your office.’

‘It’s about the only place I can get some peace and quiet and even then the phone still rings.’

‘I don’t think _this_ phone’s going to be doing any more ringing,’ Jack told him, poking the pieces of plastic on the floor with a foot.

‘What do you want?’ Rodney asked in a tired voice.

‘Have you checked the Tok’ra receiver this morning?’ John asked.

McKay glared at him.  ‘Forty extra people are demanding lab space.  None of the monkeys already here are willing to share.  They _all_ keep phoning me to tell me this.  I’ve hidden my radio but they _still_ find me.  Do I look as though I’ve got time to spare to keep an eye on something anyone can monitor?  Get Zelenka to move it to your office if you’re so interested in it.  It’ll free up an extra desk for me if you do.’

John held his hands up.  ‘Wow!  Sorry!  Don’t take it out on us.  We just want to see what Ba’al’s up to, nothing important or, you know, serious.  I’ll get Radek to move it out of your way.’

Jack gave Rodney a little wave as they left him alone to his woes, and he and John went to find Zelenka and the monitor.  Zelenka’s mood was little better than McKay’s but he agreed to move the device and monitor to John’s office after they’d taken a look to see what was happening in the galaxy.

It wasn’t good news.

‘How many ships d’you think are in that group?’ John asked in an awed tone as they watched a red mass inch their way across the Milky Way.

Radek twiddled with the monitor for a moment and the image zoomed in closer.  ‘Twenty, perhaps thirty,’ he told them quietly.  ‘They are on path to Sol system, to Earth.’

‘That’s what I thought,’ John said in a sombre tone and looked across at Jack who looked equally forbidding.  ‘Can you get this moved to my office, please, Radek?  I want to keep an eye on it.’

 _‘Ano, ano_.  I do it immediately.’

Jack pulled John to one side while Radek organised the removal of the monitor and the device.  ‘We need to start bringing in the Listed _now_.  We might not have time to organise anywhere for them to stay.  We’ll have to manage the best we can.’

‘Agreed.  I’ll get right on it.’

‘I want to have a word with Dr Kusanagi, and maybe Kinsey,’ Jack added.  ‘I think it’s likely we have a second mole.  How else would Ba’al be able to go directly to the off-world bases?  Only a very few people knew about the Idiot site and I’d’ve said each one of them was to be trusted.’

‘I agree.  Miko might have a couple of ideas of where to start.  I’ll go and get Daniel and Jonas started on the Listed.  Meet in my office in an hour?’

‘An hour.’

********

John found Jonas and Daniel together in Daniel’s main lab packing up the books and artefacts Daniel had collected over the years.

‘I guessed we might be leaving sooner rather than later,’ Daniel explained in answer to John’s raised eyebrow.  ‘I’ve already emptied and stored the contents of my apartment and I’ve sent a few Marines out to pack up Jack’s house.’

‘Good thought.  I’ve come to ask you both to begin the process to gather the Listed together,’ John told him.

Jackson gave him a shrewd look.  ‘Already?’

John nodded, his face set.

‘Where to?  At breakfast Rodney mentioned something about hiring a warehouse.’

‘We don’t think we have time for that.  What looks like Ba’al’s entire fleet is heading for Sol.’

‘How long do we have before we have to leave?’

John hesitated for a moment.  Once the decision was made to bug out, all the military personnel would become traitors to their country; a fact he knew hung heavy on Jack and Richard’s shoulders as well as on his own. They were being pushed closer and closer to choosing between living under the rule of the Trust and Ba’al or leaving the planet to prepare to take it back.  ‘The fleet will take a few days to get here,’ was the best he could offer at that precise moment.

The nod and look Daniel gave him in reply told him the older man was fully aware of John’s concerns, and John had to remind himself that Daniel had been fighting aliens who wished to subjugate Earth for over seven years.

‘It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve faced such a prospect,’ Daniel said quietly, almost reading his mind.   ‘At the end of the very first year, SG-1 disobeyed a direct order so we could save the planet.’

‘Yeah, _save_ the planet, not abandon it,’ John muttered.

‘Leave in order to regroup and return,’ Jonas clarified, meeting John’s eyes as he spoke.  ‘Earth has been subjugated by an enemy and will need to be liberated.  In contrast, my own homeworld was subjugated by one of her own with the support of the ruling elite.  There is an inherent difference.’

John nodded and left them to begin the operation to bring dozens of extra people to the Mountain feeling happier and more positive than he had earlier that morning.

 _Maybe this will work out after all_.

********

It wasn’t quite an hour before Jack radioed John and asked him to join him in his office.

‘What’s happened?’ John demanded as he jogged to the elevator.

 _‘We overlooked something_.’

‘What?’

 _‘Tell you when you get here_.’

Jack and Rodney were waiting for him in his office where Rodney was staring at the monitor showing Ba’al’s inexorable progress towards Earth.

‘What’s happened?’ John asked again as he leaned on his desk.  ‘What did we overlook?’

‘Weir.’

‘Huh?’

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake!’ Rodney snapped.  ‘We forgot that Elizabeth Weir had full access to _everything_ while she tried to run this place at the start of the year.  I had Miko check which confidential files had been accessed, the only ones with the information about the Idiot site.  They’re password locked at multiple levels as well as being triple encrypted but she had access to _everything_ thanks to that smarmy used car salesman you people elected to the White House.’

‘Hey!’ John protested, more for form than anything else since he privately agreed with McKay.

‘He’s not wrong,’ Jack commented tiredly.  ‘We had forgotten it.  I know you and I recently looked at the military she brought in while she was here, and McKay looked into the scientists, but we neglected to look at the information she had access to.  My bad; I should have thought of it.’

‘It shouldn’t have been necessary,’ John told him.  ‘She was a trusted member of the government and was meant to be on our side.  What else did she access?’

‘She printed out reams of classified scientific research, but I doubt any of it would be of use to anyone as she had no idea what she was looking at or for,’ Rodney answered.  ‘She missed out entire sections of some research and printed out what amounts to lists of chemical formulae in others.  It certainly explains why the Trust asked Jackson about the drone information though not where they got that information from.  My guess would be from the Outpost via Weir, but without looking for it myself, I can’t be sure.’

‘And who did she pass the stuff on to?’

‘That we don’t know,’ Rodney admitted.  ‘It certainly wasn’t via email, although we knew that from the fact she printed out so much information.’

‘Likely a contact from outside the Mountain,’ Jack added.  ‘We may never find out and, quite honestly, it isn’t important now.  What information she did have obviously made its way to the Trust, and to Ba’al.  Why he waited this long to attack the off-world sites, I don’t know, but there are other, more important consequences.’

John nodded having already reached that conclusion.  ‘Atlantis.’

‘Atlantis,’ Jack agreed.  ‘We may be walking from the frying pan directly into the fire.’

********

It was a conundrum, that much was certain.  The Mountain would shortly begin filling with people in preparation to leave Earth while their destination might well be compromised.

‘All I’m saying is Marshall Sumner isn’t the sort of man to be easily swayed,’ Jack reiterated for what felt like the hundredth time.

‘But Marshall Sumner might not still be in charge of the military,’ Holland argued.

‘People, people, we’re going round in circles,’ Patrick said tiredly.  ‘Jack, Richard, you’ve both made those points before.  Surely we have to plan for every eventuality: Sumner still being in charge and Sumner having been brainwashed or even locked up.’

‘They left with limited supplies,’ Daniel pointed out.  ‘It’s unlikely they have the resources to keep someone locked up as it would take people away from off-world missions and exploration.  Besides, the Ancients might not have had prisons.  We didn’t find anything like that at the Outpost.’

‘But we only managed to explore about twenty-five per cent of the Outpost,’ Rodney argued.  ‘For all we know there might be hundreds of tiny prison cells waiting to be found.’

‘Unlikely.’  Daniel reiterated, glaring at him while Rodney jutted his chin out and narrowed his eyes.

John recognised the precursor to a violent shouting match – if they were lucky.  If not, physical violence might be attempted; anything was possible with tempers so frayed.  He tapped the table to gain everyone’s attention.  ‘I suggest we take a brief time-out before someone gets hurt.’  He glared at both Daniel and Rodney as he spoke.  ‘Possibly by me.’

Jack pushed his chair back and got to his feet.  ‘I agree.  Back in ten minutes, people.’

Patrick moved to John’s side and lightly touched his arm.  ‘John?  A word.’

John led his father into his office and closed the door between his and Jack’s rooms.

‘I…We…Look, I…’ Patrick began then sighed in frustration.

‘You want to rescue David,’ John translated in a quiet voice.

‘I…How did you know?’

John shrugged.  ‘Because I think I feel the same?’  He leaned against a corner of his desk, hands resting on either side.  ‘I…I know things haven’t always been good between us, between you and I, but I…I think we’ve managed to come to an understanding over the last couple of months.’

Patrick nodded, a warm smile coming to his lips, and he seated himself in one of the chairs in front of the desk.  ‘I agree.  We’re becoming friends which is something I never anticipated when you rescued me and brought me back from the drugged haze I was in.’

‘Plus, you’re dating my CO so…you know.’  John smiled at his father.  ‘I talked it over with Rodney and he helped me understand a few things and, well…I think we need to bring David in and see if we can’t remove this implant thing Kinsey says he’s been fitted with.’

‘I agree.  It’s what I was going to suggest.  I don’t feel as though I can leave Earth without making at least some attempt at getting Davy freed from the Trust and the people who’re controlling him.’

‘You do realise it might not be as easy as that, don’t you?’ John asked.  ‘Our best hope is beaming him out of his office, but someone will need to physically go there to make sure it’s only him we get.  Plus, Kinsey might be wrong, and he might have been snaked, not implanted, or even snaked as _well_ as the implant; we have no idea how they work.  And one reason we were so reluctant to go for him is we have no idea what safeguards the Trust may have made.  They know we’ve got beaming technology and must be aware we’ll at least try to get David.  And…’  John paused and pressed his lips together.  ‘Jack collected a bundle of papers and diaries from David’s room when we rescued you.  Both he and I have been through them and…I’m not entirely certain he was innocent in allowing you to be drugged and married to Cindy, or whatever her name was.  He wanted control of SI, that much was clear.  He  kept you alive so he could maintain a controlling interest, we know that for a fact.’

John paused again and surveyed his father.  ‘I guess–  What I’m trying to say is that if we do bring him to the SGC, he’ll need to be treated as a hostile until we can be certain just where his loyalties lie, and I’m not certain we can take him through the gate in chains, especially as we don’t know exactly what’s on the other side.’

Patrick was silent for a long moment, but as he opened his mouth to speak, John’s radio buzzed in his ear.

‘What?’ he asked in irritation.

 _‘Hey, don’t snap at me!’_ Rodney’s voice told him.  ‘ _The ten minutes are up and you’re needed back here.’_

The radio cut off abruptly and John sighed.  ‘We need to go back, but, Dad.  We’ll discuss this later, and get Jack and Rodney in on it.’  He leaned forward and rested his hand on his father’s shoulder.  ‘We’ll do our best to take Davy with us, I promise.’

********

When John and Patrick returned to the briefing room, they saw Jack had moved to sit in the chair to the right of his usual seat, everyone moving down one seat, leaving the head of the table free.

‘We thought it best if you chair the meeting from now,’ he told Patrick, indicating Richard Holland across the table from himself.  ‘A neutral party, so to speak.’

Patrick nodded and took his new seat.  ‘In which case, I’d like to go around the table and ask everyone’s opinion on how we arrange the evacuation.  Colonel Sheppard, will you begin?’

Jack frowned at the realisation he’d be the last to give his view and opened his mouth to object.  He closed it after Patrick raised an eyebrow at him and sat back with a huff.

John nodded to his father and smirked at his CO.  ‘I suggest General O’Neill is the first person through the gate to Atlantis, with an armed guard prepared to defend him.  His very entry into the Atlantis gate room should bring all military assets to attention and he’ll outrank everyone on the city.’

Jack opened his mouth to object but was stopped by a glare from Patrick.

‘Major Lorne?’ Patrick invited.

The opinion-taking went around the table in turn and was mainly a variation of John’s suggestion.  Daniel put forward General Hammond as the first through the gate as a compromise, and Richard Holland suggested himself as the highest ranking officer at the table.

‘Few, if any, of the Atlantis Company know you,’ Patrick told Richard, ‘and, with all due respect to him, General Hammond is 65 and has been desk bound for the last few years.’

‘It didn’t stop him commanding Prometheus nine months ago,’ John returned.  ‘And he’s only three years older than you, Dad.’

The glare he received from his father should have withered him but instead prompted a smirk.

‘You got a death wish?’ Jack muttered to him.

‘I’m just sayin’,’ John said, trying for an innocent expression and failing miserably.

It did have the effect of lightening the tension in the room, John’s intended purpose, and Patrick’s glare transformed into a smile.

‘I obviously didn’t spank you enough as a child.’

‘It’s never too late,’ Jack suggested, receiving a poke in the arm from John.  ‘I’m just sayin’,’ he added with a smirk.

‘Gentlemen.’  Patrick tapped the table and brought them all to order.  ‘I agree with the consensus.  General O’Neill should be first through the gate, along with an appropriate escort.  It’s going to take multiple dial-ins to get everyone and all the equipment through but I’d like to see the majority of the military personnel through in the first wave.  Dr McKay, you should also be in the first wave, along with the ZPM.’

‘Just one ZPM?’ John asked.

‘You have more than one?’ Holland demanded.  ‘You kept that quiet.’

‘It was need to know information,’ Jack told him.  ‘You won’t be leaving the Mountain again, so I’m not worried about you knowing now.  There was always a possibility you could be captured before and we didn’t want that particular information made known to anyone outside of this room.’

‘We have three ZPMs, although one is only sixty per cent filled,’ Rodney explained.  ‘However, I’ve consulted Drs Zelenka and Kusanagi, and we think we can use six or eight mini-ZPMs in series to generate enough power to open the gate and keep it open for the full thirty-eight minutes, for several dial-ins.’

‘I didn’t know you’d managed to _build_ the mini ZPM,’ Patrick said in surprise.  ‘I knew you’d finished the math but…’

‘Information from P2R 977 proved invaluable,’ Zelenka told him, pushing his glasses up his nose.  ‘As did recharging ZPM.’

‘Are you certain about it?’ Jack asked.

McKay nodded.  ‘As certain as we can be.  We’ll do a couple more tests but we obviously can’t test it on dialling another galaxy.  It means we have two and a half ZPMs to take to Atlantis which will undoubtedly help us in the city.  We’ll also take the empty ones with us.  We might find equipment in Pegasus similar to that on P2R 977.  I’m not sure I want to be the one to take them through the gate to Atlantis, though.’

‘Why not?’ Patrick asked.  ‘I thought you’d want to be the one to connect them up.’

‘John’s going to be the last one to leave the Mountain and will travel to Pegasus on Prometheus.  I want to go with him.’

‘Wait.  Why is John going to be the last one to leave?’ Holland asked.  ‘When was that decided?’

‘It’s not been decided _per se_ ,’ Patrick told him.  ‘It’s something we have discussed though.  The last one to leave the SGC will disable the Stargate so it can’t be used to follow us.’

‘Disable?  Wouldn’t it be better to blow it up?’

‘Yes, if we want to destroy most of Colorado and maybe North America,’ Rodney commented caustically.  ‘Seriously, do you know anything about the Stargate?  Its main material is Naquadah.  The stuff we use to make big bombs?’

‘Rodney,’ John cautioned.  ‘Play nicely.’

‘No, Dr McKay, I didn’t know,’ Richard replied in a cold voice.  ‘No one briefed me on the material from which Stargates are constructed.’

‘Then maybe you—’ McKay began before John clapped a hand over his mouth.

‘Seriously, McKay.  Do you need another time-out?’ John demanded.

Rodney, still with John’s hand covering his mouth, shook his head and tried to show him puppy eyes.

‘You’ll behave if I move my hand?’

Nod.

‘Promise?’

Two nods.

‘Okay, then.  You need to apologise to General Holland.’

Nod.

John removed his hand and wiped it on his BDUs.

‘I apologise, General Holland.  That was rude of me.’  Rodney turned his head and raised his hand so only John could see him stick his tongue out at him.

Holland nodded and directed his attention to Patrick.  ‘I’m not happy with simply disabling the Stargate.  If the Goa’uld are as smart as I’m told they are, we can’t be certain they won’t be able to find out where we’ve gone.  Is there another option?’  He turned back to Rodney.  ‘Dr McKay?’

‘I…The only other option is to remove the gate from the Mountain.’

‘Well?  Can we do that?  I know Prometheus brought a spare Stargate back to Earth a few weeks ago along with a DHD.  Can’t the same be done with this one?’  He motioned to the gate which could be seen through the window of the briefing room.

‘Not with Prometheus full of refugees and equipment,’ Radek told him.  ‘When they return with Stargate before, they have no F-302s or passengers on board.’

‘What about the Asgard?’ Daniel suggested suddenly.  ‘If we ask them – if _you_ asked them, Jack, they might help us out.’

‘And do what with it?’

‘I don’t know.  Hide it somewhere maybe?’  Daniel turned to Rodney and Radek.  ‘Can a Stargate be cloaked?’

‘ _We_ certainly don’t have the technology for it,’ Rodney countered.  ‘But if we involve the Asgard, there’s no reason why they won’t cloak it.  They certainly have the technology for it.  They even offered it to us for Prometheus but since they wouldn’t allow us to have a power source to run it we had to refuse it.’

‘Couldn’t we have had it and _then_ installed a power source once we found one?’ Jack asked.  ‘Seems silly to have refused it.  I didn’t know you’d done that.’

‘Actually, General,’ Rodney told him in his most glacial tone, ‘I wasn’t the one who refused it.  That was your golden girl, Colonel Carter, Major Carter as she was then.  It would have made a complete redesign necessary as it made Prometheus far too large and heavy, especially as we had no idea when we might find a source to power it.’

Jack held his hands up in a classic surrender pose.  ‘Sorry, sorry, I didn’t know.’

Rodney harrumphed under his breath and John poked him.

‘So, back to the Asgard,’ Patrick sighed.  ‘Can you contact them, Jack?  I think I heard mention of a beacon of some sort.’

‘I’ll need to use Prometheus to get to it.  Thor didn’t want to make it too easy to contact him in case we overused it.’

‘How long would it take them to get here?’ Richard asked.  ‘Have we got time for it?’

‘That’s not a problem.  Their ships can cross a galaxy in hours if necessary.  I don’t want them to get mixed up in a fight with Ba’al, though.’

‘And what’s the timeline on him?’

‘A week, ten days tops for the entire fleet,’ John replied.  ‘If a couple of Al’kesh come on ahead?  Three, four days.  We’re fast running out of time.’

‘Then I suggest Jack takes Prometheus and leaves right away to contact Thor while we gather everyone and everything here in the Mountain.’

‘And MSgt Grimes’ concerns about the kitchens?’ John asked.

‘MREs,’ Jack told him.  ‘We put the Company on MREs and have nothing but basic meals made in the kitchens.  And people are going to have to sleep where they can.  Hopefully, it’ll only be for a couple of nights at most.’  He stood up, quickly followed by John and Lorne who he waved to reseat themselves, and nodded at John.  ‘I’m off.  Try to keep this place in one piece, won’t you?’

‘I’ll do my best, sir,’ John promised and watched as his father and CO left the room.

********

The base personnel were kept busy driving to and from the airport and train station, ferrying people who arrived at the Mountain.  The original plan had been to have Prometheus beam as many people as possible to the SGC, but since she was on the mission with O’Neill, public transport had to be used wherever possible.  The SGC Gulfstream V was kept busy collecting people from the more inaccessible places, along with those who weren’t able to find flights or trains, and was in constant use pausing only to be refuelled and for fresh crew whenever necessary.

Patrick, using the money David had been unable to touch, chartered as many planes as he could manage while Kinsey also donated to the cause, albeit unwillingly.  He was now pressing to be included in the exodus but none of the SGC people were keen to take him since no other politicians had been allowed on the Lists and, quite frankly, everyone hated him.  Kinsey himself viewed his donation of a million dollars as payment for his passage which John was happy to accept while refusing to confirm Kinsey’s inclusion, telling him only Jack could make such a decision.  Privately, John hoped Jack would refuse and simply order him to be beamed to the house in New Zealand which had been purchased by Miko through a tangle of shell companies and which no one – hopefully – was likely to be able to straighten out.

Tiny Hetty Lange had arrived at the Mountain the day following Jack’s departure on Prometheus, having driven herself, three of her people and a dog called Monty in a Winnebago across the country from Los Angeles.   Nell Jones, one of the two analysts and another miniature whirlwind, took one look at the briefing room – into which all five were shown – and immediately took charge of the entire operation of bringing people into the Mountain and organising their stay which was fast turning John and Lorne’s hair grey.  By the end of the day, there were sixty-five various sized motorhomes in the parking lot and Nell had a team of Airmen connecting them all up to electric points.

‘There,’ she told him.  ‘That’s an extra three hundred bunks, minimum, plus another sixty-five bathrooms as well as kitchen facilities.’

John was speechless and was tempted to kiss her if it weren’t for what Rodney might do to him.  Lorne had no such reservations, and since it had been his job to try and find beds for everyone coming into the Mountain, he grabbed her and landed a smacking kiss on her lips.

‘I love you.  Will you marry me?’ he demanded.

Eric Beale and Marty Deeks – to whom Monty belonged – laughed as John stuttered his thanks and slapped Lorne about the head.

********

While Nell took over the arrangements of the Listed, Hetty took John out of the Mountain and to the Winnebago, followed closely by Marty Deeks.

‘Come and see what else I brought,’ she told him, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and led him to a large, unopened trunk taking up a considerable amount of space in the motorhome.

Inside was the most comprehensive weapons arsenal John had ever seen.  ‘Is that a Fabbri 12 Bore with the titanium action?’ he asked in awe, pointing towards a walnut handled gun with superbly fine scroll-engraving on the action.  ‘Can…Can I touch it?’

Hetty smiled at him, laughter dancing in her eyes.  ‘You may.’

‘Hey, you wouldn’t let me touch that one,’ Deeks grumbled, looking over John’s shoulder having only caught the end of John’s comment.

‘That’s because you wouldn’t recognise a Fabbri from a Ferrari, Mr Deeks.’

‘I would so.  A Ferrari’s an Italian sports car, and a Fabbri’s a little Russian one.’

John grinned at him while Hetty squeezed her eyes together and shook her head.

‘I thought you were bringing six agents with you,’ John asked, stroking his fingers along the butt of the Fabbri.

Hetty frowned.  ‘I hoped to, but Mr Hanna didn’t want to take his wife and children away from home and Mr Callen wouldn’t leave Mr Hanna behind.’

‘And the other one?  Another girl I think General O’Neill said.’

‘Ah.  Miss Blye.  She…didn’t want to leave Mr Callen and Mr Hanna.’

There was apparently more to it than this as he noticed Deeks press his lips together and lower his head, but he made no comment.

‘Three agents from the NCIS office in DC will be joining us instead,’ Hetty continued.  ‘Mr Gibbs, Mr DiNozzo and Mr McGee.  General O’Neill mentioned he wanted me to bring four agents, or more if possible, to help on…in the place to which we’re evacuating.’

John didn’t miss her slip and filed it away for future reference.

‘Dr Mallard will also be joining us, now his mother has passed away, and while Mr Beale and Miss Jones are analysts, they will no doubt find something with which to occupy themselves when we get to our final destination.’

‘Where _are_ we going, Colonel Sheppard?’ Deeks asked.  ‘Hetty wouldn’t tell us, just that it was somewhere we could be of use to the population although we’ve gathered it’s outside the mainland US.  An island somewhere, Hawaii, maybe?’ he asked hopefully.  ‘There’s great surfing there.’

John grinned at him.  ‘Isn’t there just.  You’ll all be briefed before we depart.  Meanwhile, make yourselves comfortable – or as comfortable as you can in the circumstances.’  He turned to look at Hetty.  ‘Shall I get someone to carry your trunk down to my office, Miss Lang?’

‘Thank you, Colonel Sheppard.  I’m eager to reacquaint myself with your father.  I understand he’s here as well?’

‘Dad?  I didn’t know you knew my father.’

Hetty gave him an enigmatic smile.  ‘There’s much you don’t know about me, Colonel.’

********

Jack returned to the SGC three days later and Prometheus began beaming the few remaining Listed into the Mountain where the Sports Hall became the landing zone, as Jack liked to call it.  Several people arrived with pets and the Officer’s mess was being used as a pet holding area.  All dog and cat owners were instructed to keep their animals under control and to clear up after them on pain of being left behind – the owners, not the pets – and so far, there had been no problems.  John was delighted that dogs were being evacuated with them while Rodney was more enamoured with the cats.  They argued over whether or not to pay a visit to the local pet rescue centre and choose a dog and a cat for themselves but finally decided it wouldn’t be fair on the animals given their positions in the SGC and, hopefully, on Atlantis.  John, however, still held out hope there might be puppies one day.

All the newcomers were tested for the ATA gene as well as being scanned for any extra passengers, as Jack described it, and the SFs kept a close eye on everyone to make sure no one with an implant would be going through the gate.

‘Although how we can be certain, I have no idea,’ Jack grumbled to John as they went over the lists of people evacuating with them.

‘Constant vigilance,’ John suggested with a grin and ducked as Jack threw a paper clip at him.

There was a knock at the door, and a white-faced Paul Davis entered, a dressing around his upper left arm, accompanied by George Hammond and Francis Haigh.

‘Paul?  What’s happened?’ Jack demanded while John left his chair and shook hands with General Hammond and Francis, and showed them to a seat.

‘When did you get here?  We expected you yesterday,’ John told them, leaning against the edge of his desk while the other men gathered on the sofa and armchairs.

‘Prometheus just beamed us in,’ Hammond explained.  ‘Fortunately, Francis was with me in the Pentagon, and Pendergast had Paul picked up from the Rose Garden just before us.’

‘The Rose Garden?  At the White House, you mean?’ Jack demanded.  ‘What’s happened?  Has—’  He broke off as Davis nodded.

‘I was lucky to escape from there.  The President and all his senior staff have either been taken as hosts or implanted, I believe you call it.  Either way, they’re no longer in their right minds although President Hayes was able to break the hold of the Goa’uld for a brief moment.’  He passed a handwritten note to Jack.  On it was scrawled a barely legible note in the writing of the President with just eight words: _Permission to leave planet.  Not your fault.  Go_.

‘As far as I’m concerned, that constitutes a written order from the Commander in Chief,’ Hammond said quietly.  ‘I know that fact’s been bugging you, Jack.  Hell, it’s been bugging all of us.  We need to go, and we need to go now.’

‘President Hayes’ Chief of Staff, Sean Malone, tried to have me arrested,’ Paul explained.  ‘I’m glad I took your advice and allowed myself to be injected with one of the new subqu’s.  Prometheus wouldn’t have had a hope in hell of picking me up otherwise, at least not safely.  The Secret Service have all been implanted, I think.  They’re certainly under the control of the Goa’uld in President Hayes’ body.  Had they been caught in the beam they’d have shot everyone they came across.  As it was, Prometheus was able to pick me up when we stepped outside since the White House is now shielded by something, Colonel Pendergast said.

‘Is that what your injury is?  A gunshot?’ John asked.  ‘Has it been looked at?’

‘It only nicked my arm as I was beamed out.  Dr Lam took care of it for me.  Don’t worry, John.  I’m fine.’

John nodded and turned away as his radio buzzed.

 _‘It’s Nell Jones here, Colonel.  I’ve just received a call from a Colonel Kirkland on Prometheus informing me that the contents of Colonel Davis, General Hammond, and Captain Haigh’s homes have all been beamed onboard.  He said to tell you it’ll all be kept in one of the storage crystals_.’

‘Thanks, Nell.  I’ll let them know.  Sheppard out.’  _I want to keep her as my aide.  I wonder if Hetty would allow it?_

He quickly relayed the message to the men in his office and smiled at the looks of relief it garnered.

‘Thank Christ for that,’ Francis said feelingly.  ‘I thought I’d have to make do with what I’m wearing now.’

‘Why didn’t any of you come in yesterday?’ Jack asked, looking around at them.  ‘Your daughter, son-in-law and the girls came yesterday, General Hammond.’

‘We were waiting for final intel from Paul,’ Hammond explained.  ‘And I had some final bits and pieces to collect from my office, which is why I was there today when I got the call from Paul on Prometheus.’

‘We were trying to discover just who amongst the upper echelons of the DOD had been taken as a host or implanted,’ Haigh added.  ‘I’ve been working with General Hammond, gathering what intelligence I could as few people know of my connection with you and the SGC.  They’re more inclined to talk to me than anyone from here.’

‘And?’ Jack asked.

Haigh gave him a grim look.  ‘It’s not good at all.  I’m pretty sure all the higher ranking officers, of all five branches, have been turned.  There’s little chance of getting help from any of them when it comes to regaining control of Earth.  We’re going to be on our own.’

John squeezed his eyes closed but opened them at the sound of another knock on his door.  ‘Enter,’ he called out, and was surprised to see Teal’c and Master Bra’tac step into the room, both dressed in flowing robes.

Introductions were quickly made and John smiled at the look of pleasure on Bra’tac’s face as he gripped the forearm of General Hammond.

‘It is indeed a joy to meet with you again, Hammond of Texas,’ he declared.  ‘However, I wish it were under other circumstances.’

‘As do I, old friend,’ Hammond told him.  ‘You’re aware of our plans?’

‘Teal’c has disclosed them to me.  We have come to give you our news and wish you well on your journey.’

‘News?  What news?’ Jack demanded.

Teal’c gave him a slow smile.  ‘We took the advice of Colonel Sheppard and used Dakara as a rallying point for the Free Jaffa.  It was poorly garrisoned and we won a famous victory.’

‘You won?  Fantastic!  That’s the best news I’ve had in a long time,’ Jack declared, beaming at the two Jaffa.

‘I give you thanks, O’Neill.’  Teal’c bowed to him.  ‘We have left the planet in the hands of our people who are preparing to elect a High Council for the first time.  We have also come to ask for your aid.  Ancient legends tell of a weapon on Dakara made by the Gatebuilders.  We hoped you could help us find the weapon given you have the blood of the Ancient ones in your veins, O’Neill.’

Jack’s face fell.  ‘I wish I could help you, my friend, but we’re about to leave Earth for Atlantis.  I need to be the first one through the gate so we can take control of the city which we fear might already be under the control of one or more Goa’uld.’

Teal’c inclined his head.  ‘I understand.  The fate of the Tau’ri rests with you.  You must go and when you return and retake Earth, perhaps then you will come to our aid.’

‘Just a minute.’  John held up his hand.  ‘I’m not going through the Stargate.  I’ll be travelling on Prometheus.  Maybe we could stop by Dakara on our way to Atlantis.  I have the ATA gene as well, and Doc Fraiser thinks it’s even stronger than General O’Neill’s.’

‘You would do this for us?’ Bra’tac demanded in surprise.

‘Of course, I would.  As long as it wouldn’t endanger Prometheus and the folk on board.’

‘We have a fleet of Ha’tak and Al’kesh,’ Teal’c told him.  ‘Many of the Jaffa who joined us were formerly in servitude to the System Lords who were recently killed when their space station exploded.’

‘Yeah, we watched it happen,’ John grinned happily.

‘By what means did you do this?’ Bra’tac asked curiosity etched on his face.

‘By means of a little gift from the Tok’ra,’ John returned and pointed towards the monitor on a small desk in the corner of the room.  ‘Look.’

The small group of men crowded around it while Jack pointed out the red dots making their way inexorably towards Earth.

‘How long will it take these ships of Ba’al to arrive?’ Teal’c asked.

‘Two to three days.  We plan to begin moving everyone through the gate tonight.  Thor’s on his way to help remove the Stargate from here.’

‘And where will he then place it?’

Jack and John exchanged identical grins.  ‘Somewhere Ba’al will never find it as Thor intends to cloak it for us,’ Jack explained.

‘Most of the SGC Company will go through the gate with General O’Neill and the majority of our people, but Rodney and I will be going together on Prometheus with a couple of platoons,’ John explained.  ‘Rodney’s managed to fit a couple of his mini-ZPMs into her systems to give her extra power.  If you know the general area for me to look for the weapon on Dakara, I’ll be happy to try and find it for you, but we can’t stay too long.  Ba’al’s going to be looking for us.’

‘And when will you return?’ Bra’tac asked quietly.

‘As soon as we’re in a position to retake Earth,’ Jack said, equally quietly.

‘Then the Free Jaffa will fight at your side,’ Bra’tac declared.  ‘Without the Tau’ri, the Jaffa would _never_ have found their freedom.  We have liberated ourselves from the yoke of the Goa’uld; it will be our honour to fight them at the side of our brothers to free Earth.’

********

John looked at the blue, blue planet filling the window of the command deck of Prometheus.  A part of him would always love the place of his birth but he had no way of knowing how long it would be until he saw it again.

‘As soon as we can,’ he whispered.

‘As soon as we can what?’ a voice asked, and Rodney was at his side, slipping his hand into John’s, his brilliant blue eyes almost matching the colour of the planet below.

‘I love you; you know that, don’t you?’ John asked, gentle fingers stroking the soft cheek of the man by his side.

‘I do know that,’ Rodney returned.  ‘I also know that Thor has left the Stargate cloaked on Mars.  Whose idea was that?’

‘Mine and Jack’s,’ John admitted.  ‘We thought it was amusing.  Plus, it means we can use it to bring our people back to the Milky Way when it’s time for us to retake Earth.  Thor said the shield extends for about two hundred yards around the gate.’

‘And how are we going to get them off Mars and back to Earth to fight?’

‘You’ll build me a spaceship.  Maybe several.’

‘I…’  Rodney paused.  ‘You know what?  It’s not even worth explaining; I’d only waste my breath.’

‘Atlantis might have a whole fleet of spaceships.’

‘Then why wouldn’t the Expedition have used them to return to Earth?’

‘They might need a stronger gene than the ones they have there.’

‘That…That actually makes sense.’

‘See?’  John grinned at him.  ‘I knew I’d be right at some point.’

‘Don’t push it, wise guy.  We’ve a long way to go before we can even think about liberating Earth.’

John quickly sobered.  ‘I know that.  There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us, but at least we’re together.’

Rodney squeezed his hand.  ‘At least we’re together.’

‘All systems prepare for hyperdrive,’ they heard Colonel Pendergast announce, and listened to the replies from each of his sub-commanders.

Barely two minutes later the hyperdrive engines engaged and Earth was left behind, but only for the moment.

They would return, and they _would_ retake Earth from the Goa’uld, from the Trust.  Of that John was certain.

_Fin_

 

 

 

 


End file.
